Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq — September 24, 2026
The Faculty of Engineering at Tishk International University (TIU) welcomed Dr. Pashew Nuri, Lecturer at Cihan University – Sulaimaniya, for a guest seminar titled “From Technical Expert to Educator: Reimagining the University Engineering Educator.” Held in Hall 201 of the Main Building, the session was the latest installment in the Faculty’s Engineering Education Development Workshop series, a program dedicated to strengthening how its academic staff teach, not only what they teach.
Opening the seminar, Prof. Dr. Bayan Salim, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, noted that most engineering academics come to the classroom as engineers first — trained to design, calculate, and solve — with teaching often assumed to follow naturally from technical expertise. “Teaching well is its own discipline, with its own skills, and it deserves the same seriousness we give to our technical work,” she told attendees, describing the workshop series as a standing commitment to give staff a dedicated space to reflect on their teaching, grounded in research and in real experience from within the region.
Drawing on his own transition from technical practice into academia, Dr. Nuri offered attendees practical, research-grounded strategies for translating engineering expertise into effective classroom teaching, followed by an open Q&A session with faculty. The seminar drew engineering teaching staff across ranks, with attendance mandatory for Assistant Lecturers and Lecturers as part of their continuing professional development.
Closing the session, Dean Salim thanked Dr. Nuri for making the trip from Sulaimaniyah to share his experience with TIU’s academic community and presented him with a certificate of appreciation in recognition of his contribution.
The seminar reflects the Faculty of Engineering’s contribution to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4, Quality Education, and in particular its target of increasing the supply of qualified teachers — including through international and inter-institutional cooperation for teacher training. By investing in the pedagogical development of its own academic staff, the Faculty continues to strengthen the foundation of quality engineering education it delivers to students across the Kurdistan Region.
The Engineering Education Development Workshop series continues throughout the academic year, reflecting the Faculty of Engineering’s ongoing investment in the teaching development of its academic staff alongside their technical and research work, and its broader commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals through higher education.
