Fana Gebresenbet holds a PhD in Global Studies (with special emphasis on peace and security in Africa) from Leipzig University (2016). He was Associate Professor of Peacebuilding and Development (from 2021) at the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) of Addis Ababa University, Director IPSS (2022-2025), and Head of the Centre for Peace and Security Studies (CPSS), Addis Ababa University (2025-2026). Fana brings over fifteen years of experience researching and teaching on the political economy, the politics of development, peacebuilding, land issues, pastoralism, irregular migration, and regional integration in the Horn of Africa. He has published academic writings on many of these topics, has been a recipient of prestigious research grants, and is experienced in producing and communicating policy-relevant knowledge. As director of IPSS Fana brings experience of managing a respected African research institute and has led large multi-country research programmes across Africa, including the UKRI-GCRF-ARUA funded Migration, Urbanization and Conflict project (2021-2023). His extensive leadership experience is also demonstrated in managing multidisciplinary teams and strong partnerships across government, donors, UN agencies, and the African Union.

Through his career Fana has been active in dialogue and peacebuilding processes. He is a member of the African Peacebuilding Network of the Social Science Research Council and has initiated, designed and led several dialogue processes, including ‘Scholars in National Dialogue’ (with Life & Peace Institute), and ‘Building Bridges’, engaging scholars from Amhara, Tigray, and Afar in post-conflict dialogue and trust-building.

Fana is a Fellow of the Rift Valley Institute, and was involved in the design of the Peace Research Facility, RVI’s largest programme in Ethiopia.