Lessons from Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Part 1 - From Educational Developer in Canada to Vice Chancellor of Pakistan's Top University

Centering Centers

This is episode 23 of the Centering Centers podcast. This is the first of a two part interview with Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor of LUMS, which is the top raked university in Pakistan.

In part one of our conversation, Dr. Ahmad shares his journey from a professor of Accounting who struggled with his teaching to 3M National Teaching Fellow - Canada’s most prestigious recognition of teaching at the post-secondary level to director of the MacPherson Institute at McMaster University and now to the ultimate leadership role at LUMS. His story is of interest to all educational developers but will be particularly inspiring to those on the path to provost, president, or other distinguished leadership positions in higher education.

Dr. Ahmad completed his PhD in Educational Psychology at McGill University and was a Professor of Finance at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada for over 20 years. In 2014, he was appointed Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning and Director of the MacPherson Institute at McMaster University. He also held academic leadership positions as Chair of Teaching and Learning Canada, President of the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, and Vice President of the International Consortium of Educational Developers. In 1992, he was awarded the 3M National Teaching Fellowship--Canada’s most prestigious recognition of excellence in educational leadership and teaching at the post-secondary level. His research interests include student evaluations of teaching, approaches to teaching, teaching philosophies and student partnerships. In 2018, he became the sixth Vice-Chancellor of LUMS University.

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