Zubair Qureshi
As part of the USAID’s Higher Education System Strengthening Activity (HESSA), University of Utah organized a 3-day training session on Teaching and Learning for faculty of public universities.
Hosted by the National University of Technology (NUTECH) Islamabad, the workshop was attended by 31faculty members representing 16 partner universities of HESSA.
This activity marked the opening of a nine-month training programme on Strengthening Teaching and Learning at Pakistani Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The training programme will be delivered in three phases including face-to-face workshops, online boot camps with weekly assignments using learning management system, and concluding with a study tour to the University of Alabama.
The objective of the trainingis to deliver a robust faculty development program to the Pakistani HEIsrelated to teaching and learning and strengthening high impact practices and soft skills in the classrooms.
Led by Dr. Lisa Pawloski, Associate Dean for International Programs at the University of Alabama, and facilitated by US faculty Dr. Claire Major, Dr. Dana Patton and Dr. Karri Holley, the programme aims to provide leaders’ tools for the faculty to develop their own relevant workshops and mentor faculty at their respective HEIs.
During the three days, participants were introduced to the extended training program, they learned about high impact practices and use of collaborative learning, and discussed the concepts of assessment and online learning. A specific focus across the sessions was how the range of instructional practices can increase student learning and awareness of soft skills.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr. Aslam Chaudhry, Professor of Economics at University of Utah and Chief of Party HESSA, welcomed the faculty from HESSA’s 16 partner universities and elaborated the objectives and impact of the project. He emphasized that the center piece of HESSA’s capacity building philosophy is to prepare master trainers at different levels of leadership and faculty for upscaling and sustaining the project impact. at partner HEIs. Rector NUTECH, Lt Gen (R) Moazzam Ejaz, HI(M) welcomed all the participants on campus and appreciated USAID HESSA for the continuous support to advance higher education in the country and for engaging international experts in all its trainings.
HESSA is a five-year, $19 million, USAID-funded program that aims to introducesustainable higher education reforms and work with Pakistani universities on international best practices in teaching, research, student support, and governance.
