Strengthening education: Experience sharing, coordination among provinces urged

Professional development workshop for Baloch varsity teachers concludes

ISLAMABAD: A professional development workshop for faculty members of Balochistan universities concluded at the faculty development academy of COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) Islamabad on Friday.

Organised by the Inter-University Consortium for Promotion of Social Sciences (IUCPSS) and CIIT, the workshop aimed to update the faculty about new trends in curriculum development, assessment and evaluation, academic writing, classroom management, and presentation skills.

A total of 22 faculty members from five public sector universities of Balochistan attended the 10-day workshop.

During the workshop, the participants met Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani and Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal.

The participants will conduct similar trainings for faculty back at their universities.

Balochistan Assembly Speaker Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, who was the chief guest at the concluding ceremony, stressed the need for inter-provincial experience sharing and coordination in the higher education sector. Bizenjo welcomed announcements of 50 PhD scholarships for Balochistan by CIIT, award of need- based scholarships for by NTS, and reservation of seats for the students of Balochistan by the inter-university consortium at its member institutions.

The speaker thanked organisers and hoped participants would share knowledge with their colleagues.

IUCPSS Chairperson Dr Nasser Khan announced a fee waiver for students of Balochistan at the University of Haripur, of which he is the vice-chancellor, and other IUCPSS member institutions.

CIIT Islamabad Rector Dr Junaid Zaidi said their cooperation with Balochistan would continue to overcome shortage of skilled human resource in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2015.