By Imtiaz Hussain
SUKKUR: Shah Abdul Latif University (SALU) launched a comprehensive Faculty Development Training Program on Monday, with support from the Sindh Higher Education Commission (SHEC), in a move aimed at raising academic and research standards to international levels.
The initiative, officially inaugurated in a ceremony presided over by Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Yousuf Khushk, also marked the opening of a targeted five-day training program for faculty members. Addressing attendees, Dr. Khushk described faculty development as the “backbone of academic excellence” and emphasized the program’s goal of equipping educators with modern teaching tools, research ethics, and innovative methodologies.
“The skills gained here will directly benefit our students, strengthen research culture, and uplift the overall quality of higher education,” he said, acknowledging SHEC for providing what he called a “valuable opportunity” to enhance professional growth and institutional performance. The program, coordinated by Assistant Professor Muhammad Ibrahim Khokhar, is tailored for Early Career Lecturers and Assistant Professors.
It brings together SHEC-qualified master trainers from SALU and partner institutions, including IBA Sukkur University and the University of Larkano. Dr. Altaf Samo of IBA Sukkur, serving as the program’s resource person, highlighted the importance of faculty training and commended SALU’s master trainers for their cascading efforts.
The curriculum, detailed by Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Wahid Bux Jatoi and Dr. Samo, spans a wide range of topics, including pedagogical advancement, effective teaching practices, outcome-based education, research methodology, grant proposal writing, quality assurance, inclusive education, student mentoring, work ethics, and the integration of artificial intelligence and gamification in academia.
Professor Dr. Akhtiar Ali Ghumro, delivering a vote of thanks, underlined the necessity of continuous learning in a rapidly evolving academic landscape. “Universities are constantly changing, and we have to update ourselves to cope with the shifting world. Even professors need training because knowledge itself is changing,” he remarked.
Faculty members from SALU’s Main Campus, Ghotki Campus, and Shahdadkot Campus participated in the program. Dr. Muzaffar Sirohi noted that this SHEC-initiated training is part of a broader series planned for universities across Sindh. The five-day program is scheduled to conclude on Friday, December 5, with a certificate distribution ceremony, reinforcing the university’s commitment to investing in educators for the benefit of students and the advancement of Pakistan’s higher education sector.
