Professor SUKHDEEP BRAR has over 30 years’ development experience, most of it in the education sector. Her experience has centered around all aspects of improving the quality of education to make the graduating students better skilled and more employable. Specifically, she was the task team lead that conducted the policy dialogue with government on developing a 10 – year strategic plan for skills development for Uganda. It was the first comprehensive strategic plan for skills development for a country in the sub Saharan Africa. she also designed the TA for the first full-fledged vocational education project in Cambodia.

She oversaw the implementation of secondary education development project in Cambodia which had a distinct and significant vocational education component. She also undertook a mid -term assessment of Sri Lanka’s skills strategy and the supporting project being financed by ADB. This assessment was undertaken to inform ADB’s dialogue with government for additional financing of $100 million for an ongoing project. Similarly, She provided inputs to ADB’s technical assistance for design of a skills development project in Bhutan based on an assessment of Bhutan’s policies for skills development. Oversaw the implementation of the first ADB supported project targeting TVET in ESDP II in Cambodia. Designed the PPTA for ADB’s first independent project to support TVET in Cambodia.

Facilitated all aspects of the World Bank’s first SABER assessment for skills development was undertaken in Uganda where I had overseen the development of the Skilling Uganda strategic plan.

Began career with the Indian Administrative Service and served in Rajasthan, India, as a development administrator with wide ranging responsibilities for all aspects of local and sub-regional administration and development programs. This led to broad-based, hands-on experience in development work at the grassroots. Also served as a diplomat at the Embassy of India in Washington DC, promoting economic cooperation between India and the United States of America. The based development experience is complemented by two graduate degrees from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY: in International Development and Education; and a graduate degree in English Literature from Punjabi University, India. Served for 9 years with Asian Development bank and 7 years with the World Bank. In both institutions I had wide ranging responsibilities for policy dialogue, for program development, project design and implementation in the education sector including Skills development

Prof. Dr. PRAMOD B. SHRESTHA, In the last 38 years, Dr. Shrestha has held several important posts such as Professor, Campus Chief, Project Co-coordinator/Project Chief and International/National Consultant with various World Bank/Asian Development Bank financed projects aimed at the improvement of engineering and technical education and training system in Nepal, the Philippines, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.
From 2001 till 2003 (for 2 year), Prof. Shrestha worked as a Governing Board-engaged Faculty Consultant/Professor at the Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC), an Inter-government International Organization in Manila, Philippines. Prior to his appointment at CPCS, Prof. Shrestha also served as the Director of the Center for Applied Research and Development (Nepal-Norway Project, which was mandated to start Masters and PhD program at the Institute of Engineering, Kathmandu, Nepal) at the Institute of Engineering from 1995 to 2001.
Apart from his academic, research and administrative leadership at the Institute of Engineering, Prof. Shrestha as Secretary General of the Federation of Engineering Institutions of South and Central Asia (FEISCA) during 1984-1987 and as Secretary General of the Nepal Engineers’ Association during 1989-1991 was actively involved in the promotion and advancement of professional engineering institutions in South and Central Asia.
Prof. Shrestha has written several papers on Technology and Innovation Management, Technology Transfer, Total Quality Management, Strategic Management, Management of Organizations, Entrepreneurship Development, Impact of Technology on Society and Curriculum Development. He has also addressed a number of international professional meetings/seminars/conferences and training programs in Sweden, Norway, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, China, South Korea, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, England, Australia, Canada, USA, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Iran.

Prof. Shrestha completed his Masters of Science (M.Sc.) course in Industrial Engineering and Management (1978) from University of Technology, Loughborough, England on a Colombo Plan Scholarship. On a CIDA fellowship (1991 – 1995), Prof. Shrestha completed his doctorate degree in Engineering Management from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. He is also a certified Lead Quality Auditor (Certification No: PP3 – 1061), ISO 9000:2000 Series, Quality Management System, IRCA/IATCA QMS Auditor Certification Schemes, United Kingdom, issued by NEVILLE CLARKE, Philippines, 29 October, 2001

In 1999, His Majesty’s Government of Nepal awarded Prof. Shrestha with an “Education Day Medal” for his Meritorious Service at the Institute of Engineering and the students of the Institute of Engineering also selected him as the “Best Teacher” in 1998 and 1999. Prof Shrestha was also awarded letters of appreciation form the Government of Iran, Bangladesh and Bhutan for his outstanding contribution in the field of Technical and Vocational Education during his service at the Colombo Plan Staff College in Manila.

In 2010, Prof. Shrestha was awarded with the title of Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary International on the recommendation of a Rotary Club of Belgium for his contribution in bringing some smile and hope in the life of the visually and hearing challenged people in Nepal through his organization, the Early Rehabilitation centre in Nepal.

Mr. Perry Daroesman has over 25 years senior management experience in development assistance with donor and implementing agencies at head office and in the field in a range of
sectors including education, agriculture, health and governance, and across the full development cycle.

Prof. Dr. Michele Bruni has more than 30 years of experience in research activities in the field of labour market, migration, and demography, in devising, monitoring and evaluating active labour policies and programs.

Ms. Sopeat Ruth Mer graduated Master degree from City University of Hong Kong in the field of Social Science in Development Study. She has 10 years experiences in many local and international NGOs, Throughout her 10-year experiences as a consultant, and now overseeing development partners in Cambodia and Myanmar, she has been able to see the potential for positive change to come about through the interconnection of top-down and bottom-up action. Sopeat is inspired to pursue further work and study in diplomacy and relationship-management to improve the quality and effectiveness of governance through this interconnection. Her desire is to represent small and larger communities so that the changes that are currently taking place lead to true success for both.

Dr. Yonghwan Bang has eleven-year career in Higher Education institutions in the United States, South Korea, and Cambodia with five years of working experience in Education and Social Policy, Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the Asian and African region. Experience in developing and conducting international training courses, managing and coordinating regional and national projects, and providing technical advisory services to KOICA country office, International, and national Civil Society Organizations in strategic and program planning and capacity development in Human Capital.