The National Skills University Islamabad hosted a one-day cascading session of the STEM Faculty Development programme under the PAK-UK education Gateway, a collaborative initiative of the National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE HEC), the British Council, King’s College London and the STEM Learning Centre, York. The event brought together faculty who had trained in the UK to share practical teaching approaches and adapt them for local classrooms as part of ongoing capacity building in Pakistani higher education.
Faculty members from across institutions served as organisers and resource persons, with Dr. Maryam Subhani and Ms. Anita Bibi representing National Skills University Islamabad alongside Dr. Raisa Bano of Women University Swabi, Dr. Saima Kalsoom of PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi and Dr. Samar Naseer of Allama Iqbal Open University. These presenters demonstrated how lessons from the UK training can be cascaded to colleagues to strengthen teaching quality across departments.
The workshop explored the CDIO framework and its alignment with Outcomes-Based Education, practical project-based learning strategies, microteaching as a tool for reflective practice, the generative use of artificial intelligence in STEM teaching and authentic assessment methods that evaluate real-world competencies. Participants examined how each approach can be integrated to enrich curriculum delivery and assessment, with a clear emphasis on applicability in Pakistan’s university context.
Organisers highlighted that the STEM Faculty Development session aims to foster active learning, creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills among students to better prepare them for the modern workforce. As a cascading model, the programme emphasised peer learning and sustainable dissemination so that benefits extend beyond a single cohort of faculty.
Dr. Noor Amna Malik, Managing Director of NAHE, attended as chief guest and praised the collaborative spirit of the resource persons while underscoring the importance of maintaining peer-learning cascades across institutions. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar, Vice Chancellor of National Skills University, commended the organising team and reiterated the university’s commitment to skills-oriented, hands-on education under initiatives supported by the Higher Education Commission.
