Dr Sonam Dorji W is a teacher educator, researcher and academic leader with more than two decades of experience in education. He holds a PhD from the University of Technology Sydney, Australia, and a Master of Social Sciences from the University of Newcastle, Australia. He also serves as an Industry/Professional Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney’s School of International Studies and Education. His doctoral achievements include inclusion on the University’s Chancellor’s List and receipt of the Faculty Thesis Award in 2025.

He has held leadership positions across Bhutan’s two colleges of education, including Dean of Research and Industrial Linkages, Programme Leader and Distance Education Coordinator. His contributions encompass strengthening research capacity, supervising undergraduate and postgraduate research, and leading curriculum development in Social Studies, History and teacher education. He has also supported flexible learning through the development of distance education and mixed-mode programmes for in-service teachers.

A significant achievement was his leadership of the Nu. 3.8 million IDRC-funded Moodle localisation project, which introduced the first Dzongkha interface for the learning management system. He has contributed to international projects on happiness and wellbeing, global citizenship education and innovative teaching, while initiating partnerships that support staff development, student mobility and collaborative research.

His scholarship focuses on place-based education, environmental citizenship, Bhutanese knowledge systems, sustainability and education for Gross National Happiness. His professional service includes programme validation, external examining, teacher development and editorial leadership of RABSEL: The CERD Educational Journal and the Journal of Educational Action Research. A recipient of the 10- and 20-Year Civil Service Medals, he continues to contribute to teacher education, institutional development and international academic collaboration.