Associate Professor of Development Studies
Consult MeDownload CV Watch VidoesAs associate professor of Development Studies, I am passionate about interdisciplinary research around Human – Nature – sustainability nexus, with a special thrust on the role of endogenous, community-based institutions in fashioning human-nature (socio-ecological) interactions, for the benefit of both. This is achieved through theoretical and empirical research on livelihoods, climate change/disaster management, poverty and sustainable development research, and natural resource economics
Excellent; gained through training (and eventual teaching) of communication skills at the University, my experience as a seasoned scholar (through public/conference presentations, writing projects and scholarly articles, and in my present function as Senior Research fellow and Dean in the Higher Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Bamenda University of Science and Technology – BUST, Cameroon
Can communicate messages perfectly to an interdisciplinary audience: A skill enhanced through trainings received from eConnect, Australia in 2016 and 2020.
Excellent leadership and management skills gained through
(1) capacity building on Leadership and Management;
(2) Teaching leadership, management and Governance courses at Bachelors and Masters degree levels,
(3) practical leadership and management skills gained from managing (national and international) research teams in three postdoctoral fellowships, and multiple development projects; and through administrative functions (as Dean and Head of service)
- Good command of office suite (word processor, spread sheet, presentation software)
- Sufficient command of photo editing software gained as Research project coordinator; and in the preparation of conference/ scientific presentations
- Good content creation from publishing efforts & writing official letters to partners and hierarchy
- Good knowledge of SPSS, acquired during masters degree studies, and appropriated regularly for own data analysis and presentation
- Good command of Zoom applications from online teaching and participating in online conferences and meetings
Information Processing :
Communication :
Content Creation :
Safety :
Problem Solving :
- Excellent working knowledge on Microsoft word, power point and good knowledge in Excel
- Sound Knowledge of SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences)
- Acceptable knowledge on online teaching (using Zoom applications)
- Sound theoretical and experiential knowledge in Project Planning and Management, Development Research, Organizational Development, Organizational Leadership, Business Planning Project evaluation and Fund Raising.
- Grants Writing and Fund Raising
- Organizational development
- Project Management, including external evaluations
- Working across disciplines
- Goal-oriented
- Deadline-conscious
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Good scientific writing and analytical skills (gained from multiple workshops on scientific writing; then teaching, and supervision of (Bachelors, masters and PhD) students); (co)publishing and article review activities
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Good capacity to work in teams and individually (gained from multiple jobs executed in my professional life, which warranted me to fit in teams, and/or sometimes work individually). This skill benefits from my study experiences and research stays at German Universities
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Coordinating interdisciplinary teams of (national and international) researchers. Experience was gained through 3 postdoctoral research projects (funded by the Volkswagen Foundation Germany), which I coordinated between 2012 and 2021
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Knowledge and experience in Curriculum DesignI participated in;
(1) designing and re-designing the curriculum of the College of Technology, the University of Bamenda in 2014 and 2017 respectively;
(2) designing Masters and PhD programs for the Department of Agribusiness Technology (co-leader) in 2018; and
(3) designing a new educational catalogue for Undergraduate and Masters programs for the Bamenda University of Science and technology (BUST) Cameroon, in 2016, and a revision in 2020
Married, with two children
Likes travelling
Enjoys working across disciplinary boundaries
Sound theoretical, and practical knowledge on agricultural development in Africa; and soft skills such as gender, participatory development and management, leadership, conflict resolution, organizational development and goal oriented project planning (ZOPP) approach.
Over 15 years of work experience on Sustainable Development issues in the Nonprofit sector in Cameroon
10-year successful experience on Empirical Research in Africa, on Environment (Disaster) -Human-sustainability nexus issues
- Key Publications | Open Link
- Projects | Open Link
- Conferences | Open Link
- Memberships | Open Link
- Consultancy | Open Link
- Supervision | Open Link
- Books & Book Chapters | Open Link
- Honours & Awards | Open Link
- Teaching Experience | Open Link
2024 - Present
College of Technology, The University of Bamenda, Cameroon (www.uniba.cm)
2019 - Present
Bamenda University of Science and Technology, Cameroon, P.O. Box 277 Nkwen Bamenda, Republic of Cameroon. Email: Website: www.bustedu.com
Responsible for the overall functioning of Bachelors and Masters Programs in the Higher institute (allocating courses to lecturers/ follow up, managing exams, collaborating with partner institutions, coordinating the faculty team, reporting to senate, allocating/supervision of student theses, etc)
2011 - Present
College of Technology, The University of Bamenda, Cameroon
Yearly admission of students, processing of results/ treatment of complaints, and archiving the college’s records, compiling statistics for hierarchy
2008 - 2011
Department of Agricultural Development and Policy, Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Central and Eastern Europe –IAMO, Halle-Saale, Germany (www.iamo.de )
PhD Student
2007 - 2008
Strategic Humanitarian Services (SHUMAS) NGO’s Organic farming Training and Demonstration Center, Kumbo, Cameroon (www.shumas-cameroon.org)
Coordinate all activities relating to the establishment of the Organic farm (setting up units, oversee construction of buildings and facilities), and training of farmers (curriculum design, recruitment of candidates, coordinate training and follow up activities)
2006 - 2007
Strengthening the capacities of Civil society organizations in Cameroon on aspects like project management, Leadership and Organizational Development
1996 - 2006
Presbyterian Rural Training Center (PRTC) Fonta, Cameroon (www.prtcfonta.org)
Overall coordination of Rural Development Projects, personnel, resources and processes in Cameroon; including reporting to different funders, and communicating with all partners
1995 - 1996
Economic Cultivation Enterprise (ECE), P.O. 5044 Nkwen, Bamenda, Cameroon
General farm management (input-output activities for Poultry, Pig and gardening; include record keeping and coordination of farm staff)
- Over 15 years of work experience in the Nonprofit sector in Cameroon, with a focus on agricultural and rural development.
- 2007: Project Manager for the design and establishment of an Organic farming development and Training center for the Strategic Humanitarian Services (SHUMAS) www.shumas-cameroon.org)
- Sound theoretical, and practical knowledge on contemporary development issues such as gender, participatory development and management, nonprofit economics, socioeconomics, goal oriented project planning (ZOPP) approach
2008 - 2011
Martin Luther Universität Halle – Wittenberg, Germany
Title of PhD Dissertation: Managing natural Risks and Shocks. Informal Response Mechanisms and the Role of Nonprofit Organization
Defended: 07 November, 2011, Grade: Cum Laude
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Gertrud Buchenrieder (buchenrieder@yahoo.de)
2002 - 2004
Master of Science in Tropical and International Agriculture
Georg August Universität Götttingen, Germany
Tropical and International Agriculture (Specialization: “Socioeconomics of Rural Development”)
Title of Thesis: “Poverty and Resource management for fish farming households in North West Cameroon. A comparative Analysis”
Defended: 25 June 2004, Grade: “Sehr gut” [Very Good] (1,3)
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Dr. Winfred Mannig; and PD Dr. Regina Birner
1992 - 1994
Regional College of Agriculture, Bambili Cameroon
Title of Thesis: “issues on the Castration of Calves”
Defended: July 1994, Grade: Very Good (1,3)
Supervisor: Dr. Ndenecho Emmanuel
Address
College of Technology, The University of Bamenda, P.O. Box 39, Bambili, Northwest Region, The Republic of Cameroon
Phone
(+237) 670 511 067
balgahroland@gmail.com; balgazib@yahoo.com; roland.balgah@bustedu.com
Website
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Roland-Balgah - https://rolandbalgah.com/