Azra Khan's passionate and ongoing commitment to professional development of faculty, her leadership in educational innovation, and her unwavering focus on equity and student success was recognized by SALTISE at their annual conference on June 4-5. Azra received the SALTISE 2025 Best Practices & Pedagogical Innovators Award for Pedagogical Counsellors.
Azra's journey to this achievement is marked by a deep commitment to education and community. With an M.Sc. in Urban Development Planning from University College London, Azra's academic and teaching experience spans institutions such as Goldsmiths College and South Bank University in the UK, as well as Concordia and McGill here in Montreal. She joined Dawson in 2011 as a pedagogical counsellor, later contributing her expertise in Human Resources before returning to the Office of Academic Development in 2024.
Reflecting on her path, Azra shares, "I was teaching at the university level before I started at Dawson, and I applied to be a pedagogical counsellor without fully understanding the breadth of what the position would entail. It was a fabulous learning experience, getting to know interesting aspects of the college."
Impact across Dawson and beyond
Azra's influence at Dawson is both wide-ranging and profound. She is a founding member of Intercollegiate Ped Days an initiative born out of the need for faculty professional development during the pandemic and has been the driving force behind Dawson's own Pedagogical Day for over a decade. These events bring together faculty and staff for meaningful, engaging professional development, always curated with an eye toward inclusion, innovation, and student success.
"At the centre of her work is the notion of continuous learning," said Leanne Bennett, Academic Dean of Dawson College, who nominated Azra. "She helps conceive and deliver the orientation and integration training for new faculty, encouraging teachers to think about how they will teach a changing student body. She also provides support and resources to more experienced faculty who are seeking ways to refresh their pedagogy in the context of competency-based education."
Azra's work extends beyond Dawson, serving as a bridge to the wider pedagogical community. She has played a key role on the SALTISE awards committee and the conference planning committee, ensuring Dawson remains engaged in province-wide conversations about teaching and learning.
Advancing equity, innovation, and well-being
Azra's leadership is characterized by her commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and sustainability. She has been principal investigator for grants supporting the integration of under-represented communities at the college level and co-leads the EDIA Working Group, shaping Dawson's strategic direction in these areas. She also facilitates training for the Sustainable Happiness Certificate, helping Dawson live up to its institutional value of well-being for all.
"Azra's impact on our college community is both wide-ranging and profound," said Selma Hamdani, a psychology teacher at Dawson. "Her thoughtful curation of themes, speakers, and workshops consistently reflects her deep understanding of teaching and learning in the context of Dawson College. It also reflects her ability to understand and respond to the needs of this community and her commitment to equity, innovation, and student success."
A quiet leader
Those who work with Azra consistently describe her as a quiet leader, mentor, and bridge-builder.
"Azra embodies a unique blend of visionary thinking and practical action," said Anthony E. Singelis, Dean of Curriculum and Faculty Development at Champlain St. Lambert. "What truly distinguishes Azra is her quiet leadership, tireless work ethic, and willingness to lift others up. She is a mentor, bridgebuilder, and change agent whose impact is felt across classrooms, departments, and institutions. Her dedication to innovation and improving the pedagogical landscape for all students and educators alike makes her an invaluable asset to the educational community."
Championing each other
Azra remains humble about her achievements, emphasizing the collaborative nature of her work: "I never think of the pedagogical counsellor role as an individual award sport! It means a lot to me to have this role recognized and SALTISE's role in supporting teachers and the work of ped counsellors means we get to shine just a bit."
" My hope is that we champion each other through encouraging actions both large scale and lesson level to engage students in their learning and passion projects."
Azra is grateful to work at Dawson. She says: "I get to work in a great college at the forefront of innovating. I love it at Dawson!"
