Habib University is an intellectual hub for scholars from around the world who experience how the art of teaching and learning can be innovated through methodologies that encompass their passion and creative practices. Through a contextualized curriculum that is both globally relevant and locally rooted, faculty can employ their own knowledge in teaching models and pedagogical practices. With their diverse backgrounds, they offer students the chance to approach disciplines from multiple perspectives, guided by their own unique areas of expertise.
The institution’s emphasis on inculcating excellence in teaching is a cornerstone of Pedagogical Development Week, an annual event organized by the Office of Teaching and Learning. The aim is to foster discussions and innovations in higher education. The event brings a variety of workshops, seminars, and collaborative sessions through which Faculty and Fellows at Habib University gain exposure to the latest pedagogical trends, redesign their instructional methods, and enrich the student learning experience. The newest addition to the faculty got the chance to engage in activities that sparked inspiration to shape their teaching models.
The Pedagogical Development Week 2024 (PDW) organized a series of talks, panels, and community-building activities to discuss emerging topics in the higher education landscape.
Talks featured discussions on emerging topics such as ‘Contemplative Studies by Dr. Nauman Naqvi (Habib University) and ‘Trends in Contemporary Global Digital Humanities by Dr. David Wrisley (NYU Abu Dhabi)’. Panel discussions on ‘Navigating Student Advising for Student Success’ and ‘Stories of Resilience – Teaching your first course’ focused on the importance of relying on the community of practice to provide holistic learning and mentoring experiences. The week also featured a number of community-building activities such as board games, theatre games, and a musical performance.
The Liberal Arts Core
Zahra Sabri has joined as lecturer in the Comparative Humanities program and commended Habib University’s Liberal Arts Core curriculum which blurs the boundaries of vocational education and provides a holistic and enriched academic experience.
Gabriel Mathias Soares, our newest Global Fellow in the Comparative Humanities program, praised the uniqueness of the liberal core and its post-colonial themes.
Pakistani television actor, Tazeen Hussain has joined as an Associate Professor of Practice in the Communication and Design program. With a rich repertoire in teaching, theatre, acting, and radio, she’s excited about showcasing her passion through Habib University’s interdisciplinary curriculum. “The focus on inculcating the habit of self-cultivation through the active pursuit of knowledge is an ideal that I hold close to my heart. What adds to this is the university’s emphasis on teaching as a practice, which is student-centered,” she said.
Ahsan Mahshood, who has joined as a Dean’s Fellow in the Social Development and Policy program, lauded Habib University’s emphasis on the liberal arts, commented, “Habib is the only university in Pakistan with a deliberate focus on liberal arts. In a world that is becoming increasingly difficult and complex, where individual disciplines struggle to answer society’s big questions, it is the liberal core and the emphasis on social sciences and humanities that inspire me and give me hope for Pakistan’s future.”
Habib University’s Interdisciplinary Structure
Nighat Chaudry, a Sufi and Mystique classical dancer has joined as Professor of Practice in the Communication and Design program and is eager to connect students to their cultural roots and history of dance, introducing a wide range of dance forms from a global standpoint, rather than from the lens of western dance only. With a combination of education and exceptional skills in expressing dance in its pure aesthetic, Nighat Chaudry is committed to making the art of Kathak realized for its true classic form. “(My program) inculcates awareness of the differences and influences that both eastern and western dance forms have had upon each other.”
Arsalan Pareyal, another fabulous addition to Habib University faculty, is an ethnomusicologist who is also a contemporary composer, jazz fusion guitarist and Rubab player. He has an avid interest in exploring Pakistani traditional music and jazz. He is particularly enthusiastic about The Center of South Asian Music that allows him to approach music not just as an art form but in its broader societal context. He has joined as Professor of Practice in the Comparative Humanities program.
In its dedication to providing a student-centered and vibrant education experience, Habib University’s faculty is excited to employ distinct techniques in creating an immersive classroom experience for students.
Overall, the Pedagogical Development Week was thoroughly enjoyed by the faculty members that helped them think of newer ways to innovate their teaching methodologies. Gabriel Mathias, a Global Fellow, commended the Digital Humanities panel while Tazeen Hussain was happy to have met new people through the event and understand fresh ways of looking at pedagogy.
Grounded in postcolonial and reparative themes, our curriculum is designed to better understand our cultural and historical realities. Through intensive training conducted through workshops our faculty learn to develop their teaching approaches and consistently refine them to suit the needs of today.
In a decade, Habib University has managed to attract exceptional academics from across the world, maintain excellence and relevance in pedagogical practices as well as elevate the caliber of teaching and learning in Pakistan.
