Nemat Alifbekov

Nemat Alifbekov is currently the Coordinator of the Primary Liaison Unit in the Department of Community Relations (DCR) and Course Director for the Primary Teacher Educators Development Programme. In this role, he undertakes the conceptualisation and implementation of strategies for developing and supporting primary-level teacher educators for Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Boards across the world. 

The Unit he is leading encompasses development and implementation of educational programmes, in London and internationally, quality benchmarks, impact evaluations and multiple stakeholder engagements across several initiatives. These initiatives advocate integrated approaches to teaching and learning and model active learning practices that inspire and drive student learning and achievement. 

As part of the Primary Teacher Educators Development Programme, Nemat manages the IIS’s partnership with the Professional Development Qualification (PDQ) unit of University of Cambridge. In this role he has obtained Programme Leader Certificate and Diploma in Teaching and Learning from Cambridge Assessment International Education of University of Cambridge. 

Nemat’s extended roles at the IIS include teaching on and contributing to DCR’s and other departments’ educational endeavours, delivering sessions on skills related to academic reading and writing, and guiding participants in their research assignments. 

Prior to joining the IIS in 2014, Nemat worked in various roles related to educational leadership and practice, including with the Aga Khan Academy in Nairobi, Kenya, as the Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essays Coordinator (2010-2014), USAID’s Quality Learning Project as a Programme Specialist (2009-2010), the Ismaili Council for the UK (2006-2009) and Aga Khan Foundation Tajikistan (2000-2002). 

While at the Aga Khan Academy, Nemat became an International Baccalaureate (IB) certified workshop leader in teacher training and school authorisation. He also taught Theory of Knowledge (ToK), History for IB Diploma and IGCSE, MYP Humanities and Comparative Religions. His contributions to the Academy included infusion of ToK across the IB curriculum, curriculum, and resource development for the MYP Humanities, teacher professional development, and creating a management information system for school reporting. 

Nemat is a graduate of the IIS’s Graduate Programme in Islamic Studies and Humanities (GPISH; 2005), and obtained his MA in Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment from the Institute of Education, University College London (2007). He also holds a Diploma with distinction in Tajik Philology specialising in humanities, literature and linguistics from Khorog State University, Tajikistan (1999). Nemat also has a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice in Higher Education from King’s College London (2018) and, in recognition of attainment against the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning support in higher education, has received a Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.