Catherine Manathunga

Dr Catherine Manathunga is an Associate Professor at the School of Education Policy and Implementation, Victoria University of Wellington. She holds an honorary role at the University of Queensland's School of Education. Her research focuses on postgraduate supervision dynamics, interdisciplinary research education, and the historical evolution of university teaching practices. She earned a B.A. (Hons) and PhD from the University of Queensland, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from Queensland University of Technology.

Her work critically examines power structures in academic supervision, intercultural dimensions of doctoral training, and the professional development of research supervisors. Recent projects include studies on Ethiopian higher education quality frameworks and industry-academia PhD collaboration outcomes. She has supervised over 30 doctoral candidates in areas like international student support and effective teaching evaluation methodologies.

Key contributions include co-editing A Class of Its Own: The History of Queensland University of Technology and authoring influential articles on cross-cultural supervision challenges. Her research spans 35+ journal articles and 10 conference papers, emphasizing pedagogical innovation and global educational equity.