Research and Teaching Highlights from My Academic Journey
My academic career, spanning nearly three decades of combined experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership, is dedicated to advancing the fields of computer science through high-impact scholarship and strategic curriculum development. My professional expertise lies at the critical intersection of Digital Multimedia Security, Advanced Digital Forensics, and Applied Data Science and Machine Learning (AI/ML)
About me
I am Khizar Hayat, an Associate Professor of Computer Science at the University of Nizwa, Oman, where I have been serving since 2013. I have held several academic leadership roles, including Head of Computer Science, Head of the Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and Quality Enhancement and Accreditation Head at the College of Arts and Sciences.
I earned my PhD in Computer Science from the University of Montpellier (France) in 2009. My research interests include digital image processing, multimedia security and forensics, information hiding (watermarking and steganography), cryptography, and machine learning/data science.
Experience
Associate Professor of Computer Science
University of Nizwa (UoN) - since 2013
· Head of Computer Science (2014 – 2023)
· Head Mathematical and Physical Sciences (2018 – 2022): The department has 14 different programs of Mathematics, Statistics, Physics and Computer Science.
· Quality Management Officer (2017 – 2021) of the largest college of the University, dealing with about 40 different programs with emphasis on accreditation.
Associate Professor of Computer Science
COMSATS University (CU) Abbottabad - 2009 to 2013
· Head of Computer Science (CS) Dept. (2012 - 2013): The department had more than 1200 BS, MS and PhD students with the faculty strength of around 60 including 18 PhDs.
· Member Board of Studies (BoS), Campus Management committee.
Projects
A snapshot of my recent research and teaching work
Data Analysis
Exploring complex datasets to uncover meaningful patterns
Machine Learning
Developing algorithms to improve predictive accuracy
Teaching
Designing courses that inspire critical thinking
Publications
Sharing findings through peer-reviewed journals
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Experience
Over the years, I have taught diverse courses while leading impactful research projects. My academic career, spanning nearly three decades of combined experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership, is dedicated to advancing the fields of computer science through both high-impact scholarship and strategic curriculum development.
Role
Teaching and Domain Expertise
I bring extensive teaching experience across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels, spanning core computer science foundations and advanced specialization areas. My instruction covers programming, algorithms, theoretical computer science, databases, and digital logic at the undergraduate level, alongside graduate and doctoral courses in cryptography and network security, digital image and multimedia processing, data science, machine learning, and research methods. Having taught more than 17 distinct courses multiple times at the University of Nizwa and COMSATS University, my pedagogy emphasizes strong theoretical grounding, practical relevance, and alignment with emerging trends in AI and data-driven computing.
Research Lead
I actively lead and mentor research in digital image and multimedia security, machine learning, and applied data science. My role as a research lead involves guiding graduate and undergraduate students from problem formulation to publication, ensuring methodological rigor and ethical research practices. I emphasize reproducibility, critical evaluation of existing literature, and principled model design over unnecessary complexity. I have supervised multiple MSc and PhD theses, coordinated collaborative research efforts, and contributed to peer review and editorial activities for international journals and conferences. My research leadership is driven by the goal of producing impactful, transparent, and application-oriented scientific contributions.
Governance and Leadership
I have played a leading role in curriculum development and academic innovation across multiple institutions. My work includes designing and launching new undergraduate and postgraduate programs, most notably a BSc in Data Science and Machine Learning and an MSc in Computer Science, both aligned with international standards and Outcome-Based Education (OBE). I have also led comprehensive curriculum revisions to ensure relevance to industry needs, accreditation requirements, and emerging areas such as AI, data science, and cybersecurity.
Governance and Leadership
Governance and Leadership
Curriculum Development and Innovation
I have held extensive academic leadership roles across multiple institutions. At the University of Nizwa, I served as Head of the Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences (2018–2022), overseeing 12 undergraduate and graduate programs across Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, and Computer Science, in addition to leading college-wide quality enhancement and accreditation efforts for nearly 50 programs. I also served as Head of Computer Science for several years. Prior to this, I was Head of the Computer Science Department at the Abbottabad campus of COMSATS University, Pakistan. These roles have strengthened my experience in academic governance, curriculum development, accreditation, and strategic planning.