LAHORE, PUNJAB – The Center for Learning and Teaching at Forman Christian College (A Chartered University) successfully held its in-person annual Faculty Retreat on August 20, 2024. The theme of the event was ‘FCCU 2.0: Campus Culture and Emerging Trends in AI’. This year focused on the integration of human skills with advancing artificial intelligence technologies and the impact on campus culture.
The Rector, Dr. Jonathan S. Addleton addressed the faculty about the university’s current performance and outlined the path moving forward in keeping with the Strategic Plan for the campus. Vice Rector, Dr. Douglas Trimble, presented a thorough analysis of AI trends, practices and expectations of both students and faculty on the campus. The session clarified the future development needs of the institution. Students from graduating class of 2024 and faculty from different disciplines shared their comments and experiences providing a 360 degree perspective on the theme.
Two sessions were highlights of the day and much appreciated. Panel discussion on ‘AI and the Future of Work’ featured experts across different areas of the economy who were invited on campus to voice how the market place was changing and expected to change in the coming years. The distinguished panelists were Dr. Fuad Khan, Advisor to the Chairman: Technology & AgriTech; Ahmer Bilal Soofi, Senior Managing and Founding Partner, ABS & Co.; Dr. Haider Abbas, Director General/Head of National Cyber Emergency Response Team; Prof. Dr. S. Sohail H. Naqvi, CEO at Knowledge Streams and former vice chancellor of LUMS and Shahzaib Sanwal, senior director, Ernst & Young (EY) Consultancy. Their insights provided a reflective discourse of how higher education will need to be restructured.
Dr. David Santandreu from Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (UAE) gave the keynote address on ‘AI & Higher Education: Preparing for Gen Z’ which outlined a vision for AI-integrated higher education and individualized learning pathways for Gen Z.
This retreat reinforced FCCU’s commitment to academic excellence and preparing students and faculty for a future in an AI-augmented global landscape. The success of the event was made possible by the dedicated efforts of Dr. Rukhsana Zia, Head, and Dr. Mehwish Raza, Deputy Head of the Center for Learning and Teaching. Their strong leadership and meticulous planning were instrumental in ensuring the retreat’s smooth execution and meaningful impact on the faculty and the broader university community.
