Education, Social Sciences, and AHSRA Sections
Keynote speakers
António Pedro Costa
António Pedro Costa is a principal researcher at the Research Centre on Didactics and Technology in the Education of Trainers (CIDTFF), Department of Education and Psychology of the University of Aveiro (Portugal). He is a co-author of the qualitative analysis webQDA (www.webqda.net). In this area, he has published, in co-authorship, several papers in national and international congresses, journals, and book chapters. He currently instructs students in research methodology curriculum units.
He is the Coordinator of the Ibero-American Congress on Qualitative Research (www.ciaiq.org) and the World Conference on Qualitative Research (www.wcqr.info). Organize several special issues and books on Qualitative Research. He is the main editor of the journal New Trends in Qualitative Research (NTQR). He is a principal researcher at the Research Centre on Didactics and Technology in the Education of Trainers (CIDTFF), Department of Education and Psychology of the University of Aveiro, and a collaborator at the Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science Lab (LIACC), Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto.
His areas of interest include Generative AI in Education Research, Researchers’ competencies in Digital Space, and Qualitative Research and Mixed Methods. In 2023, he was distinguished with an honorable mention in Arts and Humanities in the UA Researcher Awardcategory. He managed numerous projects that received funding from public and private sources, totaling over 3 million euros.
Petr Činčala
Petr Činčala, PhD, MSW, MDiv, is an associate professor of Missions, director of the Doctor of Intercultural Studies program, and head of the Institute of Church Ministry at Andrews University’s Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. He also serves as the president of the Global Adventist Human Subject Researchers Association. Činčala has published dozens of articles and research reports, edited several books—including A Fresh Look at Denominational Research: Role, Impact, Scope—and is actively involved in academic organizations such as the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, Faith Communities Today, the Great Commission Research Network, and the Adventist Society of Religious Studies.
Additionally, he supports church revitalization efforts as a national partner for Natural Church Development in the United States and the Czech Republic and the executive director of the Journal of Applied Christian Leadership. Činčala and his wife, Daniela, have four sons; two are married and involved in ministry, while two are single and pursuing their studies.
Plenary speakers
Tembinkosi Sibanda
Dr. Tembinkosi Sibanda holds a PhD in Education, Curriculum and Instruction from Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, Philippines. She served in Adventist High Schools as a teacher for 13 years. She is currently serving at Solusi University, Zimbabwe, as a lecturer and head of the Education and Humanities Department. In her entire practice as an educator she has now served for 16 years in Adventist Schools and nine years in public schools; a total of 25 years in the education system. Her PhD dissertation is on Integration of Faith and Learning (IFL), a Predictive Model for Zimbabwean Adventist High Schools. Her other research areas of interest are, cooperative learning, digital culture/era and education, and students’ academic performance at different levels of education.
André Staal
André Staal holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and a Bachelor’s degree in Business from HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. He is currently a lecturer at the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. His main areas of teaching are business administration and management, sociology, applied research methodology, and student counseling. He is involved in the research efforts for the Netherlands Union Conference. Past and current research involves retention, mental and spiritual health, church communication, and research into church involvement and belonging in 2010, 2015, and upcoming in 2025. Since 2013, he has been involved in the Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association.
Theology Section
Keynote speaker
David Trim
Dr. David Trim is Director of Archives, Statistics, and Research for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Born to missionary parents in Bombay, India, he spent his childhood in Australia. He has a BA from Newbold College and a PhD from King’s College, University of London. He was on the faculty of his alma mater, Newbold College, for ten years, teaching undergraduate history and religion, and graduate courses in missiology and hermeneutics; he then taught two years at Pacific Union College where he held the Walter C. Utt Chair of history. Dr. Trim was elected to his current position for the world Church at the Annual Council of 2010. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and an adjunct professor of church history at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. Dr. Trim is the author, co-author, or editor of 18 books, and has additionally published eighty scholarly articles and book chapters, and another seventy articles for general church readers.
Plenary speaker
Cliford Sibanda
Dr. Cliford Sibanda holds a PhD in Historical Theological Studies from the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, Philippines. He is currently a lecturer at Solusi University where he is the head of department as well as an instructor in Systematic Theology and Church History. Sibanda is passionate about Seventh-day Adventist Heritage in Africa and has presented on the subject in a number of conferences.