Dr. Mayura Bijale is a media educator, researcher, development communication specialist, and journalist with over two decades of experience spanning academia, journalism, public policy research, and capacity building. She has been instrumental in advancing journalism education through innovative curriculum design, interdisciplinary research and experiential learning.
Her academic and professional journey bridges journalism, communication research, environmental studies, and public policy. Drawing upon extensive experience with leading media organizations, government institutions, and development agencies, she has led communication initiatives, research projects, training programmes, and policy-oriented studies addressing rural development, women’s empowerment, agriculture, environmental sustainability, digital media, and artificial intelligence in journalism. Her work reflects a strong commitment to using communication as a catalyst for inclusive social development and evidence-based policymaking.
Dr. Bijale has successfully supervised doctoral research in emerging areas including Development Communication, AI in Journalism, Agricultural Communication, Community Radio, and Sports Journalism. She actively mentors’ researchers and young media professionals while contributing to curriculum development, research and interdisciplinary collaboration. As a member of various Boards of Studies, Research Committees, she continues to strengthen journalism education.
Her research has received recognition through government-sponsored policy fellowships, collaborative research projects, and publications in national and international peer-reviewed and Scopus-indexed journals. She has undertaken extensive field-based research on gender, governance, public health, rural livelihoods, media transformation, environmental communication, and technology-enabled journalism.
An advocate of responsible AI adoption in media education, Dr. Bijale is actively involved in AI literacy and digital capacity-building initiatives. She is an -AI for Women Fellow and an ADiRA (AI for Digital Readiness and Advancement) Trainer, having trained journalists, educators, students, and community media practitioners in the effective and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence for journalism and communication. Her professional development includes advanced training in Generative AI, AI-enabled education, curriculum innovation, and digital pedagogy.
Beyond academia, Dr. Bijale has authored books, edited scholarly publications, and written articles and regular newspaper columns on agriculture, environment, and grassroots development. Her multidisciplinary approach integrates journalism, communication, public policy, sustainability, and emerging technologies to prepare socially responsible, research-driven, and future-ready media professionals.
She earned her Ph.D. in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University in 2016. Her academic qualifications also include master’s degrees in journalism & communication and environmental management, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach to communication scholarship and sustainable development.
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