Dr Bijoy Kumar Rai is an Assistant Professor with more than three decades of experience in school education and teacher preparation. He holds a PhD in Education from the University of Technology Sydney, Australia, a Master of Education in Science Education from Edith Cowan University, Australia, and a Bachelor of Education in Physics and Mathematics from the National Institute of Education. His expertise encompasses science education, educational research, teacher development and life skills education.

He has served as Programme Leader for the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Management, Head of the Health and Physical Education Department, and Project Manager of the UNFPA-funded Life Skills Education programme. His leadership contributions include supporting the diversification of postgraduate programmes for subject specialists and curriculum leaders, initiating the development of a diploma programme in sports education and coaching, and advancing life skills-based comprehensive sexuality education across colleges.

His doctoral research examined teaching practices that stimulate and sustain students’ interest and engagement in Bhutanese science lessons. His wider scholarship addresses pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy, postgraduate research experiences, classroom interaction and laboratory learning. He has also contributed to publications on Gross National Happiness and teacher education, alongside developing training resources for out-of-school youth.

An Australia Awards Fellow, he has collaborated with international partners on teacher education, blended learning and professional capacity development. He regularly facilitates action research workshops for teachers and student teachers and contributes to institutional research and programme committees. His work connects research with classroom practice to strengthen student engagement, science learning and teacher professionalism.