Dr. Talat Azhar is welcomed to the Habib community as Director, Center for Pedagogical Excellence/Institutional Research. She holds a dual Ph.D. in Comparative and International Education, & Education Theory and Policy, from Pennsylvania State University. She brings with her over 15 years of working in higher education. Prior to joining Habib University, Dr. Azhar was the Associate Director for the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program at Pennsylvania State University, where she mentored and advised distinguished educators and administrators during her tenure.
Center for Pedagogical Excellence (CPE) has been part of Habib University’s vision from its inception. As Habib seeks to be the first of its kind institution focusing on cultivating a profound educational experience for all its students; the question of pedagogy will remain a dynamic one. Dr. Azhar’s center will spark and facilitate discourse on pedagogy among HU faculty. With a robust CPE, Habib can also be a national resource to engage other institutions of higher learning in the city and country.
As Director, Dr. Azhar will work collaboratively with a wide range of campus constituencies with the goals of improving student learning, enhancing classroom teaching, providing support to faculty with learning innovative and effective teaching strategies, and fostering an ethos in which effective teaching is valued and rewarded. The Center is expected to develop a culture of professional respect, integrity, collaboration, cooperation, and recognition of excellence in teaching through its year round ongoing activities and events.
Dr. Azhar will also be leading the Office of Institutional Research (OIR), responsible for the development, implementation and management of a comprehensive institutional research and assessment program to support the University’s mission and strategic goals. Through OIR, Dr. Azhar will develop and implement analytical approaches, tools and resources to facilitate institutional decision-making. The OIR will work with campus constituents to clarify goals, develop meaningful measures of success, and facilitate institutional alignment around strategic priorities. The office will also contribute to the development of policies and practices that support the effective, ethical use and stewardship of data resources.
