Professor & Principal
Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (Autonomous)
Dedicated to Excellence in Education & Research
Prof. Fr. Saju M.D., Ph.D. is the Principal and Professor in the Department of Social Work at Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (Autonomous), Cochin, Kerala. He is an approved research guide under Mahatma Gandhi University and serves as Vice-President of the International Consortium of Social Development (ICSD). With more than 20 years of teaching and research experience, he has published over 50 papers in high-impact journals and has led several nationally and internationally funded research projects. He served as Principal Investigator for the UKIERI partnership with York University, the ICSSR IMPRESS project, and the SPARC project. He also led the award-winning REaCH project, which received the Kerala State e-Governance Special Jury Award in 2022.
Prof. Fr. Saju is Honorary Principal Fellow at the University of Melbourne, Australia, and Honorary Professor at the University of Edinburgh, UK. He is also a consultant for the Sea Wise Workplace Mental Health Initiative, SMILES (Federal Bank), and Director of the LIFE – Happiness and Wellbeing Centre. His research interests include public health, mental health, disability studies, suicide prevention, dementia care, and social work education.
Welcome to my professional portfolio. As an educator, researcher, and academic leader, I am dedicated to fostering learning environments that inspire innovation, critical thinking, and social responsibility. Through teaching, research, and community engagement, I strive to contribute to the advancement of social work education and the wellbeing of society. I invite you to explore my academic journey, research contributions, and collaborative initiatives.
To advance excellence in higher education through innovative teaching, impactful research, global collaborations, and community-centered interventions. Committed to promoting mental health, social inclusion, and sustainable development, the vision is to nurture socially responsible leaders and create meaningful change through knowledge, compassion, and service.
Academic qualifications and scholarly foundation
Social Work (Mental Health)
Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India
Social Work (Mental Health)
University of Madras (Loyola College, Chennai)
Social Work (Medical and Psychiatric Social Work)
University of Madras (Loyola College, Chennai)
Leadership roles in academia
Leading the institution's academic, administrative, and strategic initiatives.
Total Awards & Honors
Appointed Honorary Professor in recognition of distinguished contributions to research, academic excellence, and international academic collaboration.
Appointed Honorary (Principal Fellow), Department of Social Work, recognizing outstanding contributions to social work scholarship, research, and academic collaboration.
Awarded for the project Resiliency Engagement and Care in Health (REaCH) under the category "Innovations in COVID Pandemic Management".
Scholarship awarded to visit the University of Melbourne for collaborative research activities.
Contributed to the UN Second World Summit for Social Development held in Doha
Contributed to the UN Second World Summit for Social Development held in Doha
Invited as a UN Consultant at the 64th Commission on Social Development at the UN Headquarters, New York.
Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Indian Association of Social Science Institutions (IASSI)
Panelist for the Indo-Pacific Global Case Competition
Elected as the Vice President of Xavier Board of Higher Education
With President of the Maldives
At the University of York for research discussions about the UKIERI project.
Received the State e-Governance Special Jury Award for the project Resiliency Engagement and Care in Health (REaCH)
Talk on the ICSD Conference, held at Gavle, Sweden
Got invited for a panel discussion Well-being” at the QS I-GAUGE Institution of Happiness 2025, on 12th December at The Lalit, New Delhi.
Core areas of academic focus and ongoing research
Total Core Areas
Research focused on healthcare systems, healthcare delivery, public health, and integrated care approaches for improving individual and community wellbeing.
Research focused on mental health promotion, mental illness, psychosocial interventions, suicide prevention, and community mental health services.
🗺️ 31 Collaborations Worldwide
Principal Office, Rajagiri College of Social Science,Rajagiri P.O., Kalamassery, Kochi - 683 104, Kerala, India.
Connect with me on professional and academic platforms to stay updated with my latest research, publications, and professional activities.