Aug 20, 2026

Reporting Week Highlights Compassionate Pedagogy

As KFUPM prepares for a new academic year, the Reporting Week brings together more than 1,000 faculty members for 10 days of learning, dialogue, experience sharing, and collaboration. Running from August 6 to 18, 2026 , this year's program is centered on the theme “Compassionate Pedagogy,” exploring how thoughtful, student-centered, compassionate approaches can enrich teaching and learning across the university.

Organized by the Deanship of Academic Development (DAD), the program features more than 30 sessions of workshops, panel discussions, experience sharing, seminars, , and webinars , with contributions from OpenAI, Ivey Business School, and recognized international speakers in higher education, bringing global perspectives and practical approaches into conversations around the future of higher education.

Starting with Connection

Reporting Week began with Faculty Social Day, creating an opportunity for faculty members to reconnect with colleagues and welcome new members of the KFUPM community ahead of the academic year in an atmosphere of interactive activities, friendly challenges, and meaningful conversations.

The gathering set the tone for the days that followed: an experience built not only around professional development, but also around connection, collaboration, and a shared commitment to creating meaningful learning experiences for students.

Compassionate Pedagogy in Practice

At the heart of this year's Reporting Week is Compassionate Pedagogy, an approach that places students and their learning experiences at the center of teaching.

Across the program, faculty members explored how empathy, engagement, and an understanding of students' needs can complement academic rigor. Sessions provided opportunities to reflect on classroom practices, exchange experiences, and discover practical approaches that can help create more supportive and effective learning environments.

The theme also encouraged faculty to consider teaching beyond the delivery of knowledge, focusing on how meaningful interactions, thoughtful course design, and a deeper understanding of learners can contribute to student growth and success.

Global Expertise, Practical Learning

This year's program featured recognized international experts in pedagogy, and expanded this global expertise and conversation through collaboration with OpenAI and Ivey Business School. Through interactive sessions and hands-on workshops, faculty members engaged with perspectives spanning artificial intelligence, innovative teaching practices, and contemporary approaches to learning.

These collaborations provided opportunities to connect emerging technologies and global educational practices with the everyday realities of teaching at KFUPM, equipping faculty with ideas and tools they can carry into their classrooms.

10 Days, 30+ Sessions, One Academic Community

With more than 1,000 faculty members participating and over 30 workshops and sessions delivered throughout the program, Reporting Week 2026 reflects KFUPM's continued investment in faculty development and teaching excellence.

As the program concludes, the conversations and experiences of these 10 days mark more than the beginning of another academic year. They reinforce a shared commitment to an educational environment where innovation, academic excellence, and compassion come together to shape meaningful learning experiences for every student.