Professor Rao is a highly accomplished researcher and has a lifetime total of over 300 research outputs across her career. She has authored/co-authored 3 books and 14 major research reports. Professor Rao has co-edited 2 books, and also authored/co-authored 27 book chapters. She has over 100 international peer refereed journal articles to her credit and has also co-authored policy briefs.
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Professor Rao’s books have been published by Routledge, Springer and UNESCO
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She has published in the top journals in the fields of child development and education
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She has presented keynote papers and have given invited papers in Asia, Europe, Middle East, North America and South America
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Professor Rao has published numerous articles in what are considered the best journals in the field
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She has received several external research grants as Principal Investigator (PI) since 1999 including from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Government’s Quality Education Fund, the Hong Kong Educational Bureau, UNICEF headquarters and country offices, UNESCO, Department for International Development, UK, and Optimus Foundation. Since September 2012 I have secured research grants as PI or Co-PI totaling over HK$ 200 million
KEY RESEARCH
HIGHLIGHTS
Rao, N., Becher, Y., Lee, D., Richards, B., Sun, J., Bacon-Shone, J., Ip, P., Umayahara, M., & Chen, E. (2017). Assessing early development and learning: The East Asia-Pacific Early Childhood Development Scales (EAP-ECDS). EAP-ECDS Brief. ARNEC.
Rao, N., Sun, J, Bacon-Shone, J., Ip, P. & Becher, Y. (2016). East Asia-Pacific Early Child Development Scales -Short Form: Final Report. Singapore: Asia Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood.
Rao, N., Sun, J., Ng, M., Becher, Y., Lee, D., Ip, P., & Bacon-Shone, J. (2014). Validation, Finalization and Adoption of the East Asia-Pacific Early Child Development Scales (EAP-ECDS). UNICEF. Click here to read more
Winner of Best of UNICEF Research - UNICEF Office of Research (2015). Early Childhood Development in East Asia and Pacific: Culturally sensitive testing. In Best of UNICEF Research 2015 (p.19-23) Florence, Italy. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Richards, B., Umayahara, M., Sun, J., Bacon-Shone, J., Ip, P., Lee, D., & Becher, Y. (2017). Myanmar East Asia- Pacific Early Child Development Scales (EAP-ECDS) Project. UNICEF: Myanmar. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Sun, J., Ip, P. Bacon-Shone, J. Sincovich, A., Ho, F.K., & Gao, S. (2016). Early Child Development Scale in-depth Analysis. Final Report. UNICEF: Cambodia.
Rao, N., Lee, D., Becher, Y., Taplin, M. (2016). Enhancing Early Child Development in Papua New Guinea: Findings from the Early Childhood Facility Survey. UNICEF: Papua New Guinea.
Petermann-Rocha, F., Rao, N., Pell, J. P., Celis-Morales, C., Wong, I. C. K., Ho, F. K., & Ip, P. (2021). Weight-for-height, body fat, and development in children in the East Asia and Pacific Region. JAMA Network Open, 2022:5(1):e2142458. Click here to read more
Ho, F. K., Rao, N., Tung, K. T. S., Wong, R. S., Wong, W. H. S., Tung, J. Y. L., Chua, G. T., Tso, W. W. Y., Bacon-Shone, J., Wong, I. C. K., Yousafzai, A., Wright, C., & Ip, P. (accepted). Association between early nutritional status and child development in the Asia Pacific region. JAMA Network Open.
Richards, B., Umayahara, M., Mirpuri, S., & Rao, N. (2021). Correlates and mediators of geo-ethnic inequalities in child development in Cambodia. International Journal of Early Years Education, 1-20. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Richards, B., Lau, C., Weber, A. M., Sun, J., Darmstadt, G. L., Sincovich, A., Bacon-Shone, J., & Ip, P. (2020). Associations among early stimulation, stunting, and child development in four countries in the East Asia-Pacific. International Journal of Early Childhood. 52(2), 175-193. Click here to read more
Richards, B., Umayahara, M., Maw, N., & Rao, N. (2020). Early childhood education, language of instruction, and child Development in Myanmar: Comparisons among ethnolinguistic groups. Early Education and Development, 32(3), 421-442. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Richards, B., Sun, J., Weber, A., & Sincovich, A. (2019). Early childhood education and child development in four countries in East Asia and the Pacific. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 47, 169-181. Click here to read more
Sun, J., Lau, C, Sincovich, A., & Rao, N. (2018). Socioeconomic status and early child development in East Asia and the Pacific: The protective role of parental engagement in learning activities. Children and Youth Services Review, 93, 321-330. Click here to read more
Zhang, L., Sun, J., Richards, B., Davidson, K.C., & Rao, N. (2018). Motor skills and executive function contribute to early achievement in East Asia and the Pacific Region. Early Education and Development 29(8), 1061-1080. Click here to read more
Sun, J., Zhang, L., Chen, E., Lau, C., & Rao, N. (2018). Preschool attendance and executive function mediate early academic achievement gaps in East Asia and the Pacific. Early Education and Development 29(8), 1039-1060. Click here to read more
Richards, B., Bacon-Shone, J., & Rao, N. (2018). Socioeconomic correlates of early child development – Gradients from six countries in the East Asia-Pacific. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 42 (6), 581-587. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Sun, J., Richards, B., Weber, A., Sincovich, A., Darmstadt, G.L., & Ip, P. (2018). Assessing diversity in early childhood development in the East Asia-Pacific. Child Indicators Research, 12(1), 235-254. Click here to read more
Weber, A., Darmstadt, G.L., & Rao, N. (2017). Gender disparities in child development in the East Asia-Pacific. The Lancet: Child & Adolescent Health. 1(3), 213-224. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Sun, J., & Becher, Y. (2015). Assessing early development and learning across cultures: The East Asia Pacific-Early Child Development Scales. Assessment and Development Matters, 7(2), 21-25.
Rao, N., Sun, J., Ng, S.N.N., Ma, K., Becher, Y., Lee, D., Lau, C., Zhang, L., Chow, C.B., & Ip, P. (2013). The Hong Kong early child development scale: a validation study. Child Indicators Research, 6(1), 115-135. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Umayahara, M., Yang, Y, & Ranganathan N. (2021). Ensuring access, equity and quality in early childhood education in Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar: Challenges for nations in a populous economic corridor. International Journal of Educational Development, 82, 102380. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Chan, S. W., Su, Y., Richards, B., Cappa, C., De Castro, E. F., & Petrowski, N. (2021). Measuring being “Developmentally on Track”: Comparing direct assessment and caregiver report of Early Childhood Development in Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar. Early Education and Development, 1-23. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Chan, S. W. Y., Lee, D., & Becher, Y. (2020a). Early childhood development Assessment Scale and Caregiver Survey. Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong.
Rao, N., Chan, S. W. Y., Lee, D., & Becher, Y. (2020b). Developmentally on Track Assessment Scale and Caregiver Survey. Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong.
Rao, N., & Sun, J. (2015). Quality early childhood care and education in low resource level countries in Asia. In P.T.M. Marope & Y. Kaga (Eds.). Investing against Evidence: The Global State of Early Childhood Care and Education (pp. 211 – 230). Paris: UNESCO.
Pearson, E., Hendry, H., Rao, N., Aboud, F., Horton, C., Siraj, I., Raikes, A. Miyahara, J. (2017). Reaching expert consensus on training different cadres in delivering early childhood development at scale in low-resource contexts. UK Government Department for International Development. Click here to read more
Pearson, E., Hendry, H., Rao, N., Aboud, F., Horton, C., Siraj, I., Raikes, A. Miyahara, J. (2017). Reaching expert consensus on training different cadres in delivering early childhood development at scale in low-resource contexts. UK Government Department for International Development. Click here to read more
Pearson, E. & Rao, N. (2017). Evidence brief: Training early childhood development cadres in low-resource contexts. UK Government Department for International Development. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Sun, J., & Wong, J.M.S. (2013). Early childhood development and cognitive development in Low- and Middle- income countries. Evidence Brief for DFID, UK Government. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Sun, J., Wong, J.M.S., Weekes, B.S., Ip, P., Shaeffer, S., Young, M.E., Bray, M., Chen, E., & Lee, D. (2014). Early childhood development and cognitive development in developing countries: A rigorous literature review (pp. 99). DFID, UK Government. Click here to read more
Richter, L., Behrman, J., Britto, P., Cappa, C., Cohrssen, C., Cuartas, J., Daelmans, B., Devercelli, A., Fink, G., Fredman, S., Heymann, J., Lopez Boo, F., Lu, C., Lule, E., McCoy, D., Naicker, S., Rao, N., Raikes, A., Stein, A., Vasquez, C., & Yoshikawa, H. (accepted). Measuring and forecasting progress in education: What about early childhood? npj Science of Learning.
Rao, N., Cohrssen, C., Sun, J. Su, Y., & Perlman, M. (2021). Early Child Development in low- and middle- income countries: Is it what mothers have or what they do that makes a difference to child outcomes? Advances in Child Development and Behavior, 61, 255-277. Click here to read more
Chan, S. W., Rao, N., Cohrssen, C., & Richards, B. (2021). Predicting child outcomes in Bhutan: Contributions of parenting support and early childhood education programmes. Children and Youth Services Review, 126, 106051. Click here to read more
Ndijuye, L. G., & Rao, N. (2019). Early reading and mathematics attainments of children of self-settled recently naturalized refugees in Tanzania. International Journal of Educational Development, 65, 183 -193. Click here to read more
Ndijuye, L.G., & Rao, N. (2018). Pre-primary education policy in Tanzania: Does it meet the educational needs of newly naturalized refugee children? Global Education Review, 5(4), 36-54.
Ndijuye, L. G., & Rao, N. (2018). Early learning of children in Tanzania: A comparison study of naturalized refugee, rural majority, and urban majority population groups. International Journal of Early Childhood, 50(3), 315-333. Click here to read more
Britto, P.R., Lye, S.J., Proulx, K., Yousafzai, A.K., Matthews, S.G., Vaivada, T., Perez-Escamilla, R., Rao, N., Ip, P., Fernald, L.C., MacMillan, H., Hanson, Mark, Wachs, T D., Yao, H, Yoshikawa, H., Cerezo, A., L, J. F & Bhutta, Z.A. (2017). Nurturing care: Promoting early childhood development. The Lancet, 389(10064), 91-102. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Yousafzai, A.K., & Ip, P. (2017). Systematic review and meta-analyses of parenting and early childhood educational interventions. Web Appendix 2 (pp. 10 -15) as supplement to above article.
Sun, J., Liu, Y., Chen, E. E., Rao, N., & Liu, H. (2016). Factors related to parents’ engagement in cognitive and socio-emotional caregiving in developing countries: Results from Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 3. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 36, 21-31. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Sun, J., Pearson, V., Pearson, E., Liu, H., Constas, M.A., & Engle, P.L. (2012). Is something better than nothing? An evaluation of early childhood programs in Cambodia. Child Development. 83, 864-876. Click here to read more
Rao, N., & Sun, J. (2015). Quality early childhood care and education in low resource level countries in Asia. In P.T.M. Marope & Y. Kaga (Eds.). Investing against Evidence: The Global State of Early Childhood Care and Education (pp. 211 – 230). Paris: UNESCO.
Pearson, E., Hendry, H., Rao, N., Aboud, F., Horton, C., Siraj, I., Raikes, A. Miyahara, J. (2017). Reaching expert consensus on training different cadres in delivering early childhood development at scale in low-resource contexts. UK Government Department for International Development. Click here to read more
Pearson, E., Hendry, H., Rao, N., Aboud, F., Horton, C., Siraj, I., Raikes, A. Miyahara, J. (2017). Reaching expert consensus on training different cadres in delivering early childhood development at scale in low-resource contexts. UK Government Department for International Development. Click here to read more
Pearson, E. & Rao, N. (2017). Evidence brief: Training early childhood development cadres in low-resource contexts. UK Government Department for International Development. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Sun, J., & Wong, J.M.S. (2013). Early childhood development and cognitive development in Low- and Middle- income countries. Evidence Brief for DFID, UK Government. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Sun, J., Wong, J.M.S., Weekes, B.S., Ip, P., Shaeffer, S., Young, M.E., Bray, M., Chen, E., & Lee, D. (2014). Early childhood development and cognitive development in developing countries: A rigorous literature review (pp. 99). DFID, UK Government. Click here to read more
Richter, L., Behrman, J., Britto, P., Cappa, C., Cohrssen, C., Cuartas, J., Daelmans, B., Devercelli, A., Fink, G., Fredman, S., Heymann, J., Lopez Boo, F., Lu, C., Lule, E., McCoy, D., Naicker, S., Rao, N., Raikes, A., Stein, A., Vasquez, C., & Yoshikawa, H. (accepted). Measuring and forecasting progress in education: What about early childhood? npj Science of Learning.
Rao, N., Cohrssen, C., Sun, J. Su, Y., & Perlman, M. (2021). Early Child Development in low- and middle- income countries: Is it what mothers have or what they do that makes a difference to child outcomes? Advances in Child Development and Behavior, 61, 255-277. Click here to read more
Chan, S. W., Rao, N., Cohrssen, C., & Richards, B. (2021). Predicting child outcomes in Bhutan: Contributions of parenting support and early childhood education programmes. Children and Youth Services Review, 126, 106051. Click here to read more
Ndijuye, L. G., & Rao, N. (2019). Early reading and mathematics attainments of children of self-settled recently naturalized refugees in Tanzania. International Journal of Educational Development, 65, 183 -193. Click here to read more
Ndijuye, L.G., & Rao, N. (2018). Pre-primary education policy in Tanzania: Does it meet the educational needs of newly naturalized refugee children? Global Education Review, 5(4), 36-54.
Ndijuye, L. G., & Rao, N. (2018). Early learning of children in Tanzania: A comparison study of naturalized refugee, rural majority, and urban majority population groups. International Journal of Early Childhood, 50(3), 315-333. Click here to read more
Britto, P.R., Lye, S.J., Proulx, K., Yousafzai, A.K., Matthews, S.G., Vaivada, T., Perez-Escamilla, R., Rao, N., Ip, P., Fernald, L.C., MacMillan, H., Hanson, Mark, Wachs, T D., Yao, H, Yoshikawa, H., Cerezo, A., L, J. F & Bhutta, Z.A. (2017). Nurturing care: Promoting early childhood development. The Lancet, 389(10064), 91-102. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Yousafzai, A.K., & Ip, P. (2017). Systematic review and meta-analyses of parenting and early childhood educational interventions. Web Appendix 2 (pp. 10 -15) as supplement to above article.
Sun, J., Liu, Y., Chen, E. E., Rao, N., & Liu, H. (2016). Factors related to parents’ engagement in cognitive and socio-emotional caregiving in developing countries: Results from Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 3. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 36, 21-31. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Sun, J., Pearson, V., Pearson, E., Liu, H., Constas, M.A., & Engle, P.L. (2012). Is something better than nothing? An evaluation of early childhood programs in Cambodia. Child Development. 83, 864-876. Click here to read more
Rao, N., & Sun, J. (2015). Quality early childhood care and education in low resource level countries in Asia. In P.T.M. Marope & Y. Kaga (Eds.). Investing against Evidence: The Global State of Early Childhood Care and Education (pp. 211 – 230). Paris: UNESCO.
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Pearson, E., Hendry, H., Rao, N., Aboud, F., Horton, C., Siraj, I., Raikes, A. Miyahara, J. (2017). Reaching expert consensus on training different cadres in delivering early childhood development at scale in low-resource contexts. UK Government Department for International Development. Click here to read more
Pearson, E., Hendry, H., Rao, N., Aboud, F., Horton, C., Siraj, I., Raikes, A. Miyahara, J. (2017). Reaching expert consensus on training different cadres in delivering early childhood development at scale in low-resource contexts. UK Government Department for International Development. Click here to read more
Pearson, E. & Rao, N. (2017). Evidence brief: Training early childhood development cadres in low-resource contexts. UK Government Department for International Development. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Sun, J., & Wong, J.M.S. (2013). Early childhood development and cognitive development in Low- and Middle- income countries. Evidence Brief for DFID, UK Government. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Sun, J., Wong, J.M.S., Weekes, B.S., Ip, P., Shaeffer, S., Young, M.E., Bray, M., Chen, E., & Lee, D. (2014). Early childhood development and cognitive development in developing countries: A rigorous literature review (pp. 99). DFID, UK Government. Click here to read more
Richter, L., Behrman, J., Britto, P., Cappa, C., Cohrssen, C., Cuartas, J., Daelmans, B., Devercelli, A., Fink, G., Fredman, S., Heymann, J., Lopez Boo, F., Lu, C., Lule, E., McCoy, D., Naicker, S., Rao, N., Raikes, A., Stein, A., Vasquez, C., & Yoshikawa, H. (accepted). Measuring and forecasting progress in education: What about early childhood? npj Science of Learning.
Rao, N., Cohrssen, C., Sun, J. Su, Y., & Perlman, M. (2021). Early Child Development in low- and middle- income countries: Is it what mothers have or what they do that makes a difference to child outcomes? Advances in Child Development and Behavior, 61, 255-277. Click here to read more
Chan, S. W., Rao, N., Cohrssen, C., & Richards, B. (2021). Predicting child outcomes in Bhutan: Contributions of parenting support and early childhood education programmes. Children and Youth Services Review, 126, 106051. Click here to read more
Ndijuye, L. G., & Rao, N. (2019). Early reading and mathematics attainments of children of self-settled recently naturalized refugees in Tanzania. International Journal of Educational Development, 65, 183 -193. Click here to read more
Ndijuye, L.G., & Rao, N. (2018). Pre-primary education policy in Tanzania: Does it meet the educational needs of newly naturalized refugee children? Global Education Review, 5(4), 36-54.
Ndijuye, L. G., & Rao, N. (2018). Early learning of children in Tanzania: A comparison study of naturalized refugee, rural majority, and urban majority population groups. International Journal of Early Childhood, 50(3), 315-333. Click here to read more
Britto, P.R., Lye, S.J., Proulx, K., Yousafzai, A.K., Matthews, S.G., Vaivada, T., Perez-Escamilla, R., Rao, N., Ip, P., Fernald, L.C., MacMillan, H., Hanson, Mark, Wachs, T D., Yao, H, Yoshikawa, H., Cerezo, A., L, J. F & Bhutta, Z.A. (2017). Nurturing care: Promoting early childhood development. The Lancet, 389(10064), 91-102. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Yousafzai, A.K., & Ip, P. (2017). Systematic review and meta-analyses of parenting and early childhood educational interventions. Web Appendix 2 (pp. 10 -15) as supplement to above article.
Sun, J., Liu, Y., Chen, E. E., Rao, N., & Liu, H. (2016). Factors related to parents’ engagement in cognitive and socio-emotional caregiving in developing countries: Results from Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 3. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 36, 21-31. Click here to read more
Rao, N., Sun, J., Pearson, V., Pearson, E., Liu, H., Constas, M.A., & Engle, P.L. (2012). Is something better than nothing? An evaluation of early childhood programs in Cambodia. Child Development. 83, 864-876. Click here to read more