Transformative pedagogy : knowledge construction and effective curriculum delivery in a competitive higher education

Responding to the statement of UNESCO on reforming higher education, to the current discussions on possible ways of improving educational practices, and to the continuous efforts of Qatar University to invigorate the delivery of education, this article argues for more responsive higher education pedagogies that build on these efforts, while enabling future professionals to position themselves in a competitive global market; pedagogies that emerge from and respond to societal, cultural, environmental, and technological needs. A critical analysis of a number of thematic issues is conceptualized and provided to delineate the needs to integrate skill-based and knowledge-based pedagogies in teaching/learning processes. The article offers a number of scenarios that help bridge potential gaps while integrating effective mechanisms for higher education delivery, necessary for graduating competent professionals ready and able to compete in the workforce. Concomitantly, the proposed scenarios include the introduction of concepts and ideas that pertain to transformative pedagogy, the hidden curriculum, and different modes of knowledge and skill acquisitions, which are amenable to the cognitive capacity of learners