Ilaha started her PhD studies in September, 2020 at the Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam. She focuses on sustainability of socio-economic policies in developing and emerging economies. Ilaha has worked with international development organizations such as GIZ, UN/FAO, SIDA and Eurasia Partnership Foundation, where she assisted in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of economic and institutional development programmes. Ilaha has also developed a curriculum for the economic development models course at the State Azerbaijan Economics University (UNEC). Ilaha Abasli holds a Master's Degree from King’s College London.