Student Research Spotlight - Tavila Haque
Tavila Disha Haque (she/her) is a dedicated PhD student in Educational Leadership and Policy (ELP) in the Department of Leadership, Adult, and Higher Education (LHAE) specializing in Comparative International Development Education (CIDE) at OISE, University of Toronto. Having lived across three countries, Bangladesh, Botswana, and Canada, she cultivated a profound appreciation for language, culture, and history from an early age. With a strong foundation in International Development, Tavila joined the OISE community in 2020 to pursue her Master of Education in ELP, where she deepened her commitment to critical educational research. In 2022, she embarked on her PhD journey, striving to contribute meaningful scholarship in to the field of educational policy, particularly in global and comparative contexts.
After completing her Master’s degree, the decision to pursue a PhD at OISE was a natural and compelling choice. As a globally recognized institution, OISE offers unparalleled academic resources, including extensive library collections, access to leading scholarly journals, and a dynamic research environment. More importantly, OISE is home to distinguished scholars in Education in Emergencies, Social Justice Education, and Comparative International Development Education, fields that align closely with Tavila’s research interests. The program’s emphasis on critical inquiry, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a strong commitment to equity and decolonial perspectives further reinforced her decision. With its intellectually stimulating community and dedication to transformative education, OISE provides the ideal space for Tavila to contribute meaningful scholarship and advance her expertise in educational policies and refugee education.
OISE has nurtured her growth as a researcher by fostering an environment of rigorous inquiry, critical dialogue and real-world application, empowering her to contribute to transformative policies in refugee education and beyond. The opportunity to work alongside esteemed faculty and a diverse cohort of scholars not only expanded Tavila’s intellectual horizons but also reinforced her dedication to ELP and CIDE.
Tavila is deeply engaged in the CIDE community, having had the privilege of serving as the Co-Chair for the CIDE Student Association for two consecutive years. In this leadership role, she has been dedicated to fostering a vibrant and inclusive academic environment by organizing initiatives that celebrate student achievements and encourage meaningful scholarly engagement. She has also-chaired the esteemed J.P. Farrell Symposium in both 2024 and 2025, coordinated workshops, and facilitated various academic and professional development events. Additionally, she has been an active member and coordinator of the Immigration and Refugee Education Interest Group, which brings together faculty and distinguished scholars to discuss their research, lived experiences, and the work of prominent academics in the field. Her contributions to CIDE and the broader academic community have been guided by the distinguished Director of CIDE, Dr. Carly Manion, under whose mentorship she has worked to enhance collaborative opportunities and strengthen the community’s commitment to critical and transformative education.
Tavila’s doctoral research explores the educational policies of International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) and local NGOs in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. She focuses on how policies navigate cultural identity preservation, power dynamics, and coloniality. Framed within postcolonial theory and the coloniality of power, Tavila’s study critically examines the contrasting approaches of INGOs and NGOs in designing and implementing education programs, assessing their effectiveness and implications for refugee agency. Key highlights of this research include a comparative analysis of policy frameworks, the role of localization in humanitarian education, and the impact of international aid structures on refugee-led educational initiatives. Under the guidance of her supervisor, Dr. Francine Menashy, a leading scholar in the field of ELP and CIDE and a prominent faculty member at OISE, Tavila is centering Global South perspectives as her work aims to contribute to decolonial debates on refugee education and advocate for more culturally responsive and community-driven policies.
Beyond her work at OISE, Tavila has presented her research at four academic conferences, including the XII Decolonizing Conference and the Graduate Student Research Conference at OISE, the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) conference in Miami, Florida, and the XVII World Congress of Comparative Education Societies at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Her first publication includes a co-authored book chapter with Dr. Francine Menashy, titled “The Marketization and Privatization of Education in Emergencies,” which is featured in the Research Handbook on Education and Privatization and Marketization, set for release in March 2025. With over a decade experience in the non-profit sector, Tavila’s most transformative learning experience came during her tenure as a coordinator at an INGO under the Vice President of the Education, Gender, and Monitoring and Evaluation team at Plan International Canada, where she played a key role in developing and refining presentations and written reports.
Through her research, leadership, and professional experiences, Tavila remains committed to advancing equitable and decolonial approaches to education, striving to bridge the gap between policy and practice to create meaningful, community-driven change in refugee and marginalized education contexts.
