Centre for Professional Development - CPD CECOS University

Creating a Respectful Academic Workplace

Centre for Professional Development (CPD), CECOS University organized a faculty development session on “Creating a Respectful Academic Workplace: FOSPAH Act, Faculty Responsibilities, and Inquiry Procedures.”

The session featured Ms. Madeeha Altaf, Assistant Registrar, FOSPAH Regional Office, Peshawar, who provided valuable insights into the legal and institutional framework governing workplace conduct in academic environments.

The session focused on faculty and employees’ rights and responsibilities under the FOSPAH Act, professional conduct and workplace responsibilities, the role of Inquiry Committees, and the procedures for addressing workplace related complaints. It also highlighted the importance of confidentiality, fairness, due process, and maintaining a safe, respectful, inclusive, and professional academic environment.

The interactive session provided faculty members with practical awareness of workplace related procedures and offered an opportunity to discuss the practical application of the FOSPAH Act in an academic setting.

The session reflected CECOS University’s continued commitment to faculty development, professional conduct, and fostering a safe and respectful academic workplace.

CECOS Connect: A Digital Notice Board, Anytime, Anywhere!

The Centre for Professional Development (CPD) successfully organized a faculty awareness session on “CECOS Connect,” the University’s first digital notice board, featuring Dr. Maryam Mahsal Khan, Director, CDGI.

The session provided faculty members with a practical overview of CECOS Connect, highlighting its key features and how it enables convenient access to university announcements, events, activities, and important updates—all in one centralized platform.

Faculty members also explored how CECOS Connect could help them stay informed and effectively guide students toward a more connected and digitally engaged university experience.

✨ Departmental CPD Sessions | June & July — Glimpses

Take a look at the highlights from the departmental Continuing Professional Development (CPD) sessions held during June and July at CECOS University.

The sessions provided faculty members with valuable opportunities to enhance their professional knowledge, strengthen teaching and learning practices, exchange ideas, and explore emerging trends and best practices in their respective disciplines.

Through engaging discussions, interactive activities, and knowledge-sharing, the departmental CPDs promoted a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and professional growth among faculty members.

Here are some glimpses from the insightful sessions conducted over the past two months. 📚✨

Empowering Faculty for Better Assessment Practices! 📚✨

Centre for Professional Development (CPD) at CECOS University successfully organized a two-day faculty development session on "Question Paper Setting and Effective Assessment Practices: Developing Fair, Balanced, and Outcome Based Assessments." The interactive workshop was facilitated by Eng. Dr. Muhammad Irfan Khan, an accomplished Mechanical Engineer, Outcome Based Education (OBE) expert, and assessment specialist.

Conducted on July 8 and 9, 2026, the session brought together faculty members from across the University to enhance their assessment design skills ahead of the Final Term Examinations.

Through insightful discussions and practical examples, Dr. Irfan emphasized the importance of designing assessments that genuinely measure student learning. Participants explored how to align question papers with Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs), Bloom's Taxonomy, and Outcome Based Education (OBE) principles while ensuring fairness, balance, validity, and reliability in examinations.

The workshop also focused on developing effective marking schemes, avoiding common errors in question paper preparation, and understanding CECOS University's examination procedures, documentation requirements, and quality assurance standards. Faculty members actively engaged in discussions, shared experiences, and reflected on best practices for creating meaningful assessments that support student success.

The session proved especially beneficial for newly appointed faculty members and those beginning their academic careers, providing valuable guidance on institutional expectations and strengthening their confidence in developing high-quality, outcome-based assessments.

At CECOS University, we remain committed to fostering a culture of continuous professional development, academic excellence, and quality assurance by equipping our faculty with the knowledge and tools needed to deliver an outstanding learning experience.

Centre for Professional Development successfully conducted a CPD session in collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC).

The session featured Dr. M***i Asad Gul, Shariah Advisor, Faysal Bank, as the guest speaker, who shared valuable insights on financial governance, economic stability, and Shariah compliant finance. Faculty members actively engaged in discussions linking financial policy with teaching, research, and student development.

The session was also graced by Engr. Latif Khan, Member PEC Governing Body, representing PEC Regional Office Peshawar, and Mr. Niamat Ullah Khan, Deputy Chief Manager, SBP BSC Peshawar. Their presence and remarks were highly appreciated.

Senior management representatives from SBP and PEC commended the professionalism and keen participation of the faculty of CECOS University.

A key highlight was the initiative of the Vice Chancellor, CECOS University, promoting a Clean and Green Pakistan by presenting plants instead of shields. This sustainable gesture was widely appreciated by SBP and PEC officials, who encouraged other universities to follow the example set by CECOS University.

The session also marked SBP’s commitment to support CECOS University through seed funding for Final Year Projects, along with assistance in internships and job placements, reflecting strong academia industry collaboration.

Centre for Professional Development (CPD), CECOS University, successfully conducted a two-day faculty development session on “Integrating AI into Teaching and Learning: A Curriculum Perspective for Educators” on June 10 and 11, 2026.

The session was facilitated by Dr. Saad Salman, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy, CECOS University, who shared valuable insights on the effective integration of Artificial Intelligence into curriculum design, teaching practices, and assessment strategies.

Faculty members from Life Sciences, Management Sciences, Architecture, Engineering, Computer Science, and BS&H participated in the session and explored practical approaches for embedding AI into teaching and learning processes. The discussions highlighted opportunities, challenges, ethical considerations, academic integrity concerns, and strategies for maintaining curriculum relevance in an AI enabled academic environment.

The session provided participants with practical knowledge on redesigning learning activities, enhancing assessment practices, and preparing students for the evolving demands of academia and industry.

CPD extends its sincere appreciation to Dr. Saad Salman and all participating faculty members for making the session engaging, insightful, and impactful.

Centre for Professional Development (CPD), in collaboration with the Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC), CECOS University, successfully organized an insightful session on the topic “Fostering a Quality Driven Academic Environment in CECOS University.”

We were honored to have Ms. Maria Ibrar, Manager, Institutional Quality Assessment and Effectiveness / QEC at FAST National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Peshawar Campus, as the resource person for the session.

Ms. Maria brought over a decade of experience in quality assurance within higher education. She shared valuable insights on institutional performance evaluation, self assessment processes, and postgraduate program reviews, along with practical perspectives on process improvement, policy development, and strengthening academic standards.

The discussion focused on strengthening a culture of quality within CECOS University. Key institutional policies, including examination procedures and QEC related guidelines, were discussed to enhance clarity and consistency in academic and administrative practices. The session also emphasized the collective role of faculty in maintaining standards and aligning practices with established quality assurance frameworks.

The session provided practical insights to faculty on improving compliance with institutional policies and contributing effectively towards a more structured and quality driven academic environment.

Centre for Professional Development (CPD) conducted a two day faculty session on April 15th and 16th on “Teachers as Therapists: Foundational Skills for Supporting Students in Emotional Distress.” The session featured Ms Khoula Ismail from Smile Psychological Clinic, Peshawar, who shared valuable clinical experience and practical insights.

The session focused on enhancing faculty understanding of their supportive role in student mental health. It covered identifying early signs of emotional distress such as anxiety, depression, and trauma related behaviour, along with developing skills in empathetic communication. Participants were also guided on maintaining professional boundaries and referring students to appropriate support services.

Overall, the session provided practical tools to help create a more supportive and psychologically safe classroom environment, contributing to improved student wellbeing and academic engagement.

Centre for Professional Development believes that empowered faculty are central to meaningful academic and societal change.

With this belief, CPD arranged an engaging session titled "Sustainable Development Goals 2030: Progress, Challenges, and the Role of Universities and Faculty" to support faculty learning, reflection, and impact.

The session reviewed global and Pakistan’s progress on the SDGs, highlighting achievements, existing gaps, and the vital role of universities, faculty, and youth. Special focus was placed on education (SDG 4) and peace and governance (SDG 16), with practical discussion on integrating SDG perspectives into teaching, research, and student engagement.

Led by Dr. Khalid Khan, an Education Futures Architect and climate policy expert, the session connected academic responsibilities with real world impact and encouraged faculty to strengthen their role as educators, mentors, and contributors to long term sustainable development.

We recently held a two-day session titled “The Hidden Link Between Oral Health and General Wellbeing.”

Dr. Muhammad Behram, a qualified orthodontist, led the session and shared valuable insights on how oral health connects to overall wellbeing. He explained how issues in the mouth can influence long-term health, highlighted the importance of prevention, and discussed research linking oral diseases to wider systemic conditions.

Faculty gained a clearer understanding of early warning signs, the role of daily habits, and how informed guidance can support a healthier campus environment.

Participants also received a Certificate of Participation from the CPD office.