Haile T. Debas Teachers’ Academy: A home ‘of and for faculty'​

Situated within the Network of Quality, Teaching, and Learning (QTL_net), the ​Haile T. Debas Teachers’ Academy, is the first interdisciplinary Academy in the developing world, which is made up of outstanding AKU teachers, who are recognized for their excellence in teaching and leadership in higher education. ​​​​​

The purpose of establishing a Haile T. Debas Teachers’ Academy​ at AKU is to:

  1. Reward and Recognise Excellence in Teaching ​
  2. Develop a Community of Practice of Teaching Leaders 
  3. Enhance Interdisciplinary Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 
  4. Create a Pool of Peer Mentors to Enhance Teaching ​​

Building on the Communities of Practice ethos of the Network of Quality, Teaching, and Learning (QTL_net), the key principles that will drive the TA (and hence membership) are:​

  1. ​Recognition of Teaching Excellence ​
  2. Focus on being interdisciplinary ​and university-wide;
  3. Ensuring transparent and standard criterion-based membership; 
  4. Growing the membership slowly and keeping it ‘high profile and prestigious;

To guide the implementation of the Haile T. Debas Teachers’ Academy in its first five years, the Teachers’ Academy Advisory Body (TAAB)​, chaired by Dr Haile Debas, founder of the first-ever academy of medical educators, University of California, San Francisco was formed in August 2019. Deans and designated faculty members from all AKU campuses as well as some external AKU partners are part of this Advisory Body.​​



The Haile T. Debas Teachers’ Academy’s (HTDTA) fourth call for membership applications is now open. Kindly click here to know the details.
Please refer to the eligibility criteria​ for the academy’s membership before your start applying.​