Yidnek Haile

Yidnekachew Redda Haile (Yidnek Haile) is a Lecturer in Computing at Teesside University London, where he develops, manages, and teaches modules in Data Science, Cyber Security, and Computer Science. He is currently completing a PhD at Royal Holloway, University of London, with research focused on the role of digital technologies in transnational migrant entrepreneurship. His doctoral studies are funded by a prestigious UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) scholarship.

Yidnek holds an MSc in Information and Communication Technologies for Development from the University of Manchester (UK), a Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science from HiLCoE School of Computer Science and Technology (Ethiopia), and a BEd in Physics from Mekelle University (Ethiopia). His academic background reflects a strong interdisciplinary focus, blending science, computing, and education.

With nearly two decades of experience across academia and industry, Yidnek has taught Science and Computing at all educational levels ( primary to university) and led diverse modules including Machine Learning and Deep Learning, Data Analysis and Visualisation, Software and Web Development, Data Security and Information Governance and Mobile Systems. His research and professional interests center on the application and impact of digital technologies in development contexts including Data for Development (D4D), ICTs for Development (ICT4D), and Mobile for Development (M4D). He brings practical expertise in software and web product development, programming, and the design and management of information systems.

Yidnek’s technical skillset includes Python, Java, C++, C#, PHP, and JavaScript (including frameworks like Angular and React), as well as tools for database management (MySQL, SQL, NoSQL), data analytics and visualization, and full-stack web development. He is also proficient in agile development methodologies, version control systems, and user-centric design approaches.

His passion lies in leveraging digital technologies to improve lives, support inclusive development, and foster sustainability, especially in resource-constrained environments. He regularly consults for individuals and international organisations on ICT strategy and implementation. His research has been published in respected academic journals and presented at international conferences.

Yidnek takes pride in linking theoretical and research knowledge to practical, real-world solutions through agile, innovative teaching and consulting. He is particularly committed to developing secure, scalable, and user-friendly digital systems that harness the power of big data and emerging AI technologies for positive social and economic impact.

Yidnek’s primary research interests center on the role and impact of digital innovations, technologies, and data in shaping people’s lives, the environment, and the practices of both governmental and non-governmental organizations. His areas of expertise and inquiry include:

• Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), mobile technologies, and data for socio-economic development (ICT4D, M4D, D4D)

• Digital inclusion and the digital divide

• ICTs in the context of mobility and migration

• Digital technologies and transnational/translocal migrant entrepreneurship

• Artificial Intelligence (AI), algorithms, and linguistic justice

• Educational technologies (EdTech)

Yidnek maintains active engagement with the wider academic and professional community through consultancy work, research collaborations, and institutional affiliations. His consultancy experience includes contributions to the EU Trust Fund’s Research and Evidence Facility—hosted at SOAS University of London—where he examined the nexus of ICTs, migration, and development. He has also advised NGOs and SMEs in both the UK and Ethiopia on the strategic use of digital technologies to enhance operational efficiency and organizational impact.

His key consultancy and advisory expertise spans a range of interdisciplinary areas, including: digital transformation; digital technologies and (migrant) entrepreneurship; ICTs and NGOs; the digital economy; ICTs and mobility/migration; ICTs and socio-economic development (ICTD/ICT4D); digital/data-driven development; business intelligence; data analysis and insights; ICT training; cybersecurity awareness; data governance; and educational technologies.

Yidnek holds academic affiliations with several institutions. At Royal Holloway, University of London, he contributes to research in digital innovation, business and management, digital migration, and migrant entrepreneurship. At Teesside University London, his involvement includes teaching and outreach in Computer Science and Digital Technologies, with a focus on Data Science, Cyber Security, Computer Programming, and Software Development. He is also a member of the ICT4D Network (since 2019) and the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP, since 2020). In addition to his institutional affiliations, Yidnek collaborates with researchers from the University of Cambridge and King’s College London, contributing to interdisciplinary research at the intersection of digital technology, mobility, and development.

Yidnek Haile is an experienced academic and consultant with over 15 years of interdisciplinary expertise in digital technologies, data science, and socio-technical development. He has successfully supervised more than 30 MSc projects in applied areas such as machine learning, AI, cyber security, and data governance. His research and consultancy contributions spanning institutions such as Royal Holloway University of London, SOAS, and the EU Trust Fund’s Research and Evidence Facility affording him informed international policy and advanced knowledge in ICT4D, digital migration, and digital entrepreneurship. Yidnek’s scholarly outputs include peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals and conferences, and his work bridges academic research with real-world digital innovation and capacity-building across the UK, Ethiopia, and the Horn of Africa.

Publications

You can access Yidnek's publications from his Google Scholar profile via this link.