Biographical Details
Irena Colakova Veljanova is an Associate Professor in Social Sciences at Excelsia University College. She previously held a position of Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Western Sydney University (WSU), contributing to the School of Social Sciences (SoSS) and WSU through applied research, student-centred teaching, and academic governance. She completed her doctorate in Human Welfare Studies and Services at WSU in 2011.
Her research lies at the intersection of health sociology, critical gerontology, migration studies, and disability studies, with a focus on structural inequality, care systems, and marginalised communities. Working with partners such as Southwest Sydney Health and the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association, her applied research has addressed domestic violence in CALD communities, disability and immigration, and transcultural physiotherapy. Her current research explores social support systems for refugees with disabilities in Ugandan refugee settlements and the role of AI in managing health misinformation in CALD communities. She prioritises interdisciplinary collaboration, community co-production, and policy-engaged research. She currently serves as Deputy Editor of the Australasian Review of African Studies (ARAS) (2026-2028).
An award-winning pedagogue, Dr Veljanova has received the WSU Vice-Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning, the Dean’s Award for Innovation, and the Dean’s Award for Innovative Blended Learning. Her teaching integrates international community-based learning, e-portfolios, and industry-academic partnerships. Dr Veljanova has supervised over 25 Higher Degree Research students and is a recipient of SoSS Excellence in PhD Supervision Award (2022, 2025) in recognition of her contributions to research training.
She has a longstanding experience in academic governance in roles such as Academic Course Advisor, Equity and Diversity Coordinator, Acting Associate Dean HDR, and Academic Program Advisor for the Master of Research. Program Coordinator and multiple governance Committee Memberships both at WSU and Excelsia University College.