Faculty Training and Development Unit (FTDU)

The Faculty Training and Development Unit is the unit that coordinates all faculty training and development efforts of the University of Nicosia. The Unit serves as a focal point (working along with existing units) and connecting the different University departments and associated stakeholders. The Unit is managed by a Director who was appointed for this purpose by the Rectorate. The Director of the Faculty Training and Development Unit reports to the Vice Rector for Faculty and Research (VRFR).

Welcome Message by the VRFR
Welcome Message by the Director

Role

The role of the Faculty Training and Development Unit at the University of Nicosia

Strategy Development

Developing the University Training and Development Strategy: It involves drafting the University strategy on faculty training and development in consultation with the Rectorate, the Schools and Departments, developing the plans for its implementation, and communicating the plans to the relevant stakeholders.

Training Needs Identification

Identifying Faculty Training Needs: It includes any training and development activities that facilitate faculty members in fulfilling their job responsibilities. Needs identification is done in several ways, such as identification of needs deriving from the University strategy and direct communication with faculty, Departments and Schools, suggestions and requirements by quality assurance agencies, and monitoring of national and international trends.

Training Design & Implementation

Designing and Implementing Training Opportunities: It involves designing and providing to faculty training and development opportunities aligned with their teaching, research, and administration responsibilities. Such opportunities can take the form of hands-on workshops, seminars, presentations, round table discussions etc.

Assessment & Evaluation

Assessing and Evaluating the Effectiveness of Training and Development Programmes: It involves developing assessment and evaluation tools, disseminating them, and analysing the results to determine the influence of the training and development programmes to the participants’ practices, and the impact of the programmes to their performance and careers.

Units

Units involved in Faculty Training, Support and Development

The Vice Rector of Faculty and Research oversees the activities of the Faculty Training and Development Unit (FTDU). The office also offers training and professional development programmes on topics relevant to research, publications, grand writing and students research supervision.

The e-Learning and Pedagogical Support Unit (ePSU) is dedicated to the support of all faculty members in educational and pedagogical aspects of teaching, for conventional (face-to-face) and distance learning (DL) courses. It promotes and encourages innovation and excellence in teaching, learning and assessment to ensure quality and consistency in the ways students are engaged and equipped for life-long learning and employability in the 21st century. The ePSU is, also, responsible for developing the University’s Pedagogical and e-Learning Strategy and translating that into concrete applicable activities, by developing innovative, advanced online teaching-and-learning pedagogical methodologies and introducing these methodologies to faculty members for application in their courses.
The activities of the Unit involve a series of training and development trainings offered to faculty members on a regular basis and through one-to-one consultation with faculty members. The ePSU can help faculty in the pedagogical development of a new course or the improvement of existing courses, or academic programs. Such projects may involve but are not limited to interactive audio and video, multimedia and virtual reality course applications.

Visit the e-PSU website

The TELC is dedicated in identifying, testing, and implementing new technologies to facilitate the teaching and learning process at UNIC. Through training and support to UNIC faculty, the TELC aims to enhance the learning and teaching environment in a way that is underpinned by sound learning design principles, reflection and innovation. The unit offers group and one-to-one training on a variety of software to interested faculty members and helps them to implement those in their courses.

Visit the TELC website

The Online Learning Support Unit (OLSU) is part of the IT department of the University of Nicosia (UNIC) that specializes in offering support for the online learning tools used to enhance the students’ learning experience.

Specifically, on how to participate in video-conferencing sessions held by the faculty in WebEx, and how to use Moodle to access the course material (course syllabus, presentations, notes etc.), interact with classmates and lecturers, submit assignments, complete quizzes, participate in wikis as well as other Moodle activities and resources implemented in their specific courses.

As part of this support the OLSU has developed varied online guides and offers face to face training to students and faculty at the start of every semester.

Furthermore, OLSU provides support to faculty to accommodate content recording requirements as well as with other content creation requests.

The Distance Learning Administration Unit (DLA) offers training and one-to-one consultation to faculty members on the administrative processes, tools, rules and procedures, including student registration, processing of student requests, submission of grades etc.

Visit the Distance Learning website

The R&IO provides specialist information, training, guidance and advice for Faculty and Researchers at the University of Nicosia and its Academically Affiliated Institutions, namely the University of Nicosia Research Foundation.

Visit the R&IO website

The Erasmus Office offers training and support to full time faculty and staff regarding the Erasmus+ Programme. The Programme provides opportunities to all full time faculty and staff, to materialize funded mobilities for teaching assignments or training purposes, abroad.

Visit the Erasmus Office website

The University of Nicosia Library offers trainings to faculty on the use of the library services and relevant software (i.e., RefWorks).

Visit the Library website

Areas of Training

Areas of Faculty Training offered under the Faculty Training and Development Unit

Teaching, Learning and Pedagogy Trainings

Faculty Professional Development Seminar on Teaching and Learning

Research Training

Research Skills Development Programme (RSDP): Training on Conducting Research, Publishing, Grand writing, Ethics in Research etc.

View Series in Academic Year 2024-2025
View Series in Academic Year 2023-2024
View Series in Academic Year 2022-2023

Technical and Software Training

Training on the use of educational software such as:

  • Learning Management Systems/Virtual Learning Environments
  • Teleconferencing system
  • Interactive software
  • Video production software
  • Multimedia tools
  • Collaboration software
  • Artificial intelligence tools

Training & Development on Current Topics in Higher Education

Trainings on:

Administration and Service skills Training

Trainings on:

  • Project management and Time management
  • Roles and Responsibilities of PhD Coordinators/Directors and Supervisors
  • Dealing with Health and Safety issues
  • Dealing with Psychology Emergencies on Campus

Types of Training

Types and Delivery Methods of Training and Development

  • Seminars
  • Workshops
  • Symposiums
  • Information sessions
  • Webinars
  • One-to-one trainings
  • On the job training / workplace learning
  • Mentoring
  • External Events
  • Other

Faculty Support

Pedagogical Support

Units involved:

Technical & Admin Support

Units involved:

Support Documents

  • eLearning Pedagogical Model for e-Learning
  • DL Faculty Handbook
  • Internal Regulations
  • Manuals for Software Use

Note: All Faculty Support Documents are available upon request