Etta Mercy Aki is an Associate Professor of Educational Administration with over a decade of experience in higher education. She currently serves as the Vice Dean in charge of Studies and Student’s Affairs in the Faculty of Education at the University of Buea in Cameroon. In 2016, she obtained a PhD in Educational Administration from the University of Buea. Since then, she has expanded her teaching, research and outreach focus on enabling young people to attain their aspirations through education. Her research interest includes educational policy advocacy and student aspirations grounded on a sense of purpose and meaning. She has published 12 journal articles and a book chapter exploring and intervening on these development areas. She has earned several awards and is one of the co-founders of Better Breed Cameroon (BBCam) supporting youth through life skills development in Cameroon. Etta’s multiple roles are steeped in her core belief that learning is embedded in a deeper purpose of life that is individually driven yet shaped within a wider society of shared beliefs and actions. Beyond her academic work, Etta is a wife and mother to four children. She loves creative endeavours, reading and reflective writing.

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