College of Health Sciences, Gulf Medical University (GMU), conducted a faculty development workshop titled “Making Your Work Count: A Roadmap to Promotion” on 9 September 2026. The session was led by Prof. Mohammad Rawashdeh, Associate Dean – Academics and Chairperson, Department of Medical Imaging Sciences and attended by faculty members.
The workshop aimed to provide practical guidance on understanding promotion requirements, highlighting the role of publications in the promotion process, and strategically preparing for long-term academic career advancement.
The session highlighted the importance of aligning academic achievements with promotion criteria and maintaining clear, systematic documentation of scholarly, teaching, and professional contributions. Prof. Rawashdeh emphasized that publications play a significant role in building a strong promotion portfolio and encouraged faculty members to view promotion as a continuous journey of professional development, rather than an activity undertaken only when they become eligible to apply.
Addressing the participants, Dr. Praveen Kumar, Dean of the College of Health Sciences, emphasized the importance of strategically documenting and aligning academic accomplishments with promotion requirements and stated: “Strong academic performance provides an important foundation for career advancement; however, achievements must be effectively documented and aligned with established promotion criteria. One of the common challenges faculty members face is waiting until the year of promotion to organize their publications and accomplishments. A strong promotion portfolio is built progressively over time through consistent scholarly activity, systematic documentation, and purposeful professional development. I encourage our faculty to take a proactive approach to their academic careers and begin building their promotion portfolios well in advance.”
The workshop provided valuable clarity on the promotion pathway and encouraged faculty members to adopt a proactive, structured, and sustained approach to their professional development, strengthening their readiness for future academic advancement.
