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Professor Saseendran Pallikadavath is an internationally recognised expert in demography and global health, with extensive experience in research, teaching, and academic leadership across Africa, Asia and the UK. He is currently Emeritus Professor at the University of Portsmouth and Higher Education (HE) Consultant at Taleb Group, Qatar.
His research focuses on international migration, women’s health, adolescent health, low fertility, non-communicable diseases, and health systems in low- and middle-income countries, with a sustained record of influencing policy and practice. He is also an expert in Transnational Education (TNE) and Global Partnerships. Professor Pallikadavath is the founding director of the Portsmouth-Brawijaya Centre for Global Health, Population, and Policy at the University of Brawijaya, Indonesia.
He holds a PhD in Demography from the Australian National University (ANU), Canberra. Earlier in his career, he held academic, research, and leadership roles at the University of Southampton, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) New Delhi, the Institute of Applied Manpower Research (IAMR) New Delhi, the World Bank Population Centre, Lucknow, and the UNFPA Centre for Health Management, Jaipur.
Over the course of his career, Professor Pallikadavath has worked extensively in South and Southeast Asia (India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand), Africa (Ghana, Malawi, Rwanda, DRC, Cameroon, Kenya), Brazil, and the UK, collaborating with universities, governments, and communities. He has led or co-led major research projects funded by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), DFID, Newton/GCRF, British Council, British Academy, and local governments. His work on female labour migration in Indonesia contributed to a REF22 Impact Case Study (4*).
A committed supervisor and mentor, Professor Pallikadavath has successfully guided a large cohort of Early Career Researchers, PhD, and MRes students at the University of Portsmouth, many of whom continue to collaborate with him on research and innovation activities. His dedication to developing academic talent is reflected in his ongoing mentorship and support of these emerging researchers.
His international profile is further demonstrated through his editorial role as Associate Editor of the Journal of Population Research and his membership on high-level panels, including the British Council, the International Science Partnership Foundation (ISPF), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He also serves as a peer reviewer and assessor for UK Research Councils, the British Medical Association, and the NIHR, and acts as an external examiner and academic promotion assessor for universities in the UK and overseas.