US, Pakistan to collaborate for improving social sciences teaching

Rawalpindi : Fatima Jinnah Women University held the inaugural session of the 2nd international conference on Strengthening Teaching & Research Capacity: Collaborative Partnership in Social Sciences.

The conference is funded by United States Government under its US-Pakistan University Partnerships Grants Programme administered by United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan.

On the occasion of the opening ceremony of the conference, Dr. Saima Hamid, Vice Chancellor Fatima Jinnah Women University and Conference Patron, acknowledged the role of the United States Government for maintaining bilateral relationships in education and research at higher education level through University Partnerships Grants Programme. The collaborative stance of United States Education Foundation in Pakistan is highly beneficial and plays a pivotal role in enhancing the research capacity building of Universities in Pakistan.

Sharam Niazi, Programme Officer, University Partnerships Grants Programme elaborated on contribution of the Programme in training university faculty across Pakistan. Dr. Aneela Maqsood, conference chief organizer briefed the audience about the thematic focus of the conference including teaching and research pedagogy, cross-border collaborative research, action research models, quantitative and qualitative applied research in social sciences, teaching and assessment methodologies, classroom management strategies, integrating technology in classrooms, social connectedness through media, mental health in academic institutions, and many others.

The conference has called multidisciplinary research papers that have broadened the scope of the conference.

The conference themes will not only capture attendees’ attention and keep them engaged and energised but also meet expectations to learn something new, different and have unique and beneficial conference experience.

Prof. Mike Hirsch, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences Huston-Tillotson University, USA, delivered his key note address on engaging undergraduate students in research as part of innovative teaching pedagogy.

The ceremony was attended by Prof. Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi (vice chancellor, Women University Swabi), Prof. Dr Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan (Vice Chancellor FATA University), Prof. Dr. Anila Kamal (vice chancellor, Rawalpindi Women University), Prof. Dr Muhammad Idrees (dean Faculty of Social Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University), Dr Farooq Anwar (director ORIC, University of Sargodha), Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Khan / chairperson Dept of Education, Hazara University, Mansehra.

A large number of audience, focal persons of the project including Prof. Dr. Rubina Hanif (director, National Institute of Psychology, Quaid-i-Azam University), Prof. Dr. Farhana Kazmi (chairperson, Dept of Psychology, Hazara University Mansehra), Dr. Najma Iqbal Malik (chairperson, Department of Psychology, University of Sargodha), Prof. Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad (chairperson & in-charge Faculty of Social Sciences, Women University Swabi), and various eminent psychologists from Pakistan armed forces including Brig Dr. Shoaib Kiyani, Col. Dr. Syed Sajjad Hussain, Brig (r) Prof. Dr. Tanvir Akhtar, and various social scientists of neighbour universities and different cities of Pakistan attended the ceremony.