KARACHI: The graduation ceremony of the first cohort of twenty-four full-time faculty members was held at Iqra University, main campus.
These faculty members completed Diploma in Higher Education in collaboration with California Southern University, USA. The one-year diploma is specially devised integrating the teaching methodologies with current research in the field aiming to do away the culture of teaching by chance.
The program is the product of the professional development department “Centre for Teaching Excellence and Learning Innovation (CTELI), envisioned by the Vice Chancellor, Iqra University Dr Prof Waseem Qazi.
“This course envisions to strengthen the core faculty at higher education with cutting edge knowledge in the field of teacher education,” commented Dr. Qazi.
The graduation ceremony and the orientation of the next batch held on Sep 29th, was attended by the Vice chancellors of five key leading universities in Pakistan and Rector NAHE. Vice Chancellors of different universities; Vice chancellor (VC) Quaid-e-Azam University was chief guest, VC Allama Iqbal Open University was guest of honour and Prof. Dr. Shaheen Sardar Ali, Rector of National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE) was the keynote speaker.
The guests congratulated Iqra University on fulfilling the need of the time through provision of a diploma for the teachers and scholars of Higher Education.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali VC, Quaid-e-Azam University offered collaboration in future with Iqra University at varying levels. He also requested Rector of National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE), Prof. Dr. Shaheen Sardar Ali to devise such opportunities where courses in diverse fields can be offered in unification by all the universities of Pakistan.
The Program Director, Dr Fatima Rehan Dar, gave an introduction about “Centre for Teaching Excellence and Learning Innovation (CTELI). She said Iqra University has a pivotal focus on transforming students and learning experience by providing continuous professional development opportunities to the teachers and the scholars.
“At the end of the day, it is the quality of the programs, vision and farsightedness that matters. We are a pioneer university that has made professional development as the core of our operational structure. Appreciation by vice chancellors of Pakistan’s leading universities attested our step in the right direction,” said Dr Fatima Rehan Dar, Director IU CTELI.
Among those who attended the ceremony included: Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali, Vice-Chancellor, Quaid-i-Azam University, Prof. Dr. Khalid M. Iraqi, Vice-Chancellor, University of Karachi, Prof. Dr. Wasim Qazi, Vice-Chancellor/President, Iqra University, Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum, Vice-Chancellor, Allama Iqbal Open University, Prof. Dr. Shaheen Sardar Ali, Rector of National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE), Prof. Dr. Aurangzaib Khan, Vice-Chancellor, Dewan University, Prof. Dr. Akhtar Baloch, Ex Vice-Chancellor, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University.
