Dr Dev Acharya is a Senior Lecturer of Public Health at the Institute of Health, Wolverhampton University. His research interest lies in different areas of global health, particularly public health issues in developing countries such as health system strengthening, maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS and STIs (e.g. peer education, behaviour change communication, STI case management, prevention of mother to child transmission, nutrition care for people living with HIV and AIDS, substance misuse and harm reduction, voluntary counselling and testing), migration and health, women' s autonomy in health decision making, teenage pregnancy etc. He is an expert in methodological research such as randomised controlled trial (RCT), systematic reviews and mixed methods. He has published a wide range of peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters related to his research field in international peer-reviewed journals/papers. He has supervised research students mainly from public health education and health promotion background. He is internationally known as a public health speaker in his area of study. He has been awarded prestigious rewards e.g. Arthur Trott Grant-2010, Aberystwyth International Postgraduate Research Studentship (AIPRS)-2009, British Council Award-2006.

Dr Acharya has completed MSc in Public Health from the University of Aberdeen, 2007 and PhD from Aberystwyth University, 2014. Prior to moving to the University of Wolverhampton, he was a Lecturer of Education and International Development at Aberystwyth University (2015-2019) and Project Assistant in Epidemiology Group at the University of Aberdeen (2008-2009). Previously, he was a public health practitioner for Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) programme for HIV/AIDS and STI prevention, a joint project of FHI/USAID and the Ministry of Health in Nepal.

Research Interests

• Health system strengthening in low and middle-income countries.
• Migration, mobility and health and well-being.
• Health and well-being of BAME population in the UK.

Research Expertise

• Maternal and child health and sexual and reproductive health in developing countries.
• HIV/AIDS and STIs prevention e.g. peer education, behaviour change communication, STI case management, prevention of mother to child transmission, nutrition care for people living with HIV and AIDS, substance misuse and harm reduction, voluntary counselling and testing.
• Women’s autonomy in health decision making and teenage pregnancy.
• Pragmatic randomised controlled trial (RCT), systematic reviews and mixed methods.

Fellow of Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Fellow of Royal Society for Public Health (FRSPH)

Life Member of Britain Nepal Academic Council (BNAC)

PG Cert in Teaching in Higher Education, (2017), Aberystwyth University, UK

PhD Aberystwyth University UK, 2014

MSc Public Health, University of Aberdeen UK, 2007

MA Anthropology, Tribhuvan University Nepal, 2003

BA Mathematics, Tribhuvan University Nepal, 1997

• Acharya D, Thomas M, Cann R, Regmi PR (2019). Parents’ and teachers’ perspectives on children’s sexual health education: a qualitative study in Makwanpur Nepal Health Prospect, 18(2): 1-6.
• Acharya D (2018). Sex Education for Children. My Republica. 25 June 2018. http://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/sex-education-for-children/.
• Acharya D, Thomas M, Cann R (2018). Nepalese school students’ views about sexual health knowledge and understanding, Educational Research, 60:4, 445-458, DOI: 10.1080/00131881.2018.1525304
• Acharya D, Thomas M, Cann R (2017). Evaluating School-Based Sexual Health Education Programme in Nepal: An Outcome from a Randomised Controlled Trial. International Journal of Educational Research, 82:147-158.
• Acharya D, Thomas M, Cann R (2016). Validation of a Questionnaire to Measure Sexual Health Knowledge and Understanding (SHQ) in Nepalese Secondary School: A Psychometric Process. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 5.
• Acharya D, Kulkarni S (2016) (Eds). In Search of Creativity: A Compilation of International Studies. Council for Creative Education (CCE), Finland.
• Shohel M, Acharya D (2016). Innovation and Creative Schools for Disadvantaged Children in Bangladesh and Nepal (Chapter 10) In: Acharya D, Kulkarni S (Eds). In Search of Creativity: A Compilation of International Studies; Council for Creative Education (CCE), Finland.
• Acharya D, Regmi P, Simkhada P, van Teijlingen ER (2015). Modernisation and Changes in Attitudes towards Sex and Relationships in Young People (Chapter 5), In: Wasti SP, van Teijlingen ER, Simkhada P (Eds), Crabtree SA (Series Ed). The Dynamics of Health in Nepal; Social Science Baha.
• van Teijlingen ER, Simkhada P, Acharya D (2012). Sexual and Reproductive Health Status and Health Service Utilisation of Adolescents in Four Districts in Nepal. German International Fund (GIZ) GmbH, Germany.
• Simkhada P, van Teijlingen ER, Acharya D, Schildbach E, Silwal PR, Shrestha J, Pandey PL (2012). Sexual and Reproductive Health of Adolescents in Rural Nepal: Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour. Nepal Population Journal, 17 (16).
• Acharya D, Book Review-Promoting Health and Wellbeing through Schools (Peter Aggleton, Catherine Dennison and Ian Warwick). Routledge, Oxon. Perspectives in Public Health (2011). http://rsh.sagepub.com/content/131/5.toc
• Acharya D, Book Review-The Global Politics of Health (Davies Sara). Polity Press, Cambridge. Sociological Research Online (2011). http://www.socresonline.org.uk/16/1/reviews/3.html
• Regmi PR, van Teijlingen ER, Simkhada P, Acharya D (2010). Barriers to Sexual Health Services for Young People in Nepal. Journal of Health Population and Nutrition, 28(6):619-627.
• Regmi PR, van Teijlingen ER, Simkhada P, Acharya D (2010). Dating and Sex among Emerging Adults in Nepal. Journal of Adolescent Research
• Acharya D, Bell JS, Simkhada P, van Teijlingen ER, Regmi PR (2010). Women's Autonomy in Household Decision-Making: A Demographic Study in Nepal. Reproductive Health, 7 (15) http://www.reproductive-health-journal.com/content/7/1/15
• Acharya D, Bhattarai R, Poobalan A, van Teijlingen ER, Chapman G (2010). Factors Associated with Teenage Pregnancy in South Asia: A Systematic Review. Health Science Journal, 4 (1):3-14.
• Acharya D, Van Teijlingen ER, Simkhada P (2009). Opportunities and Challenges in School-Based Sex and Sexual Health Education in Nepal. Kathmandu University Medical Journal, 7 (4): 445-453.
• Acharya D (2005). Kobe trip in my memory-learning from 7^th ICAAP conference in Japan. Family Health International, Nepal.
• Acharya D (2002). Training Manual for the Facilitators who are involved in Behaviour Change Programme on HIV/AIDS & STI. General Welfare Foundation/Family Health International. http://hivhealthclearinghouse.unesco.org/library/documents/training-manual-facilitators-who-are-involved-behavioural-change-program-hivaids.
• Acharya D (2002). Training Manual for the facilitators/animators on HIV/AIDS & STI. General Welfare Foundation/Family Health International. http://hivhealthclearinghouse.unesco.org/library/documents/training-manual-facilitatorsanimator-hivaids-std-editor-dev-raj-acharya.

Consultancy Work (2011)-Sexual and Reproductive Health Status and Health Service Utilisation of Adolescents in the Far Western region of Nepal. German International Fund (GIZ) GmbH, Germany.

Training of Trainer (TOT, 2003)- 'P' Programme for Advance Health Communication, Johns Hopkins University/Centre for Communication Project, Baltimore/USA. 

Social and Operational Mapping (2000)-Behaviour Change Intervention (BCI) programme on HIV/AIDS and STI prevention among Female Sex Workers (FSWs) and their clients, Nepal.

Prospective researchers (e.g. MSc, MPhil, DProf, PhD) are encouraged to contact for further discussion of their research study.