Quality is the means through which an institution can guarantee with confidence and certainty that the standards of its educational provision are being maintained and enhanced (Quality Assurance Agency UK); Quality has become an inexpendible part of augmentation plan of Higher Education espoused by the Higher Education Commission.
Higher Education Commission is moving ahead on the path of tremendous progress in higher learning sector using human and financial resources to increase the access to programmes and using all cautions to assure quality of the increased base of higher learning programmes
Quality in higher education is a dynamic entity which is the outcome of interaction among many factors including inter-alia, leadership, quality of faculty and students, infrastructure facilities, research and learning environment, governance, strategic planning, assessment procedures, and market force.
Vision:
To develop a quality Higher Education System relevant to national needs and compatible to International QA Standards that enables HEIs to demonstrate excellence in teaching, learning and research.
Mandate:
10. Powers and functions of the Commission
1) For the evaluation, improvement and promotion of higher education, research and development, the Commission may :
- formulate policies, guiding principles and priorities for higher education Institutions for promotion of socio-economic development of the country;
- cause evaluation of performance of Institutions;
- prepare, through consultation with the Institutions, plans for the development of higher education and express its opinion on all matters relating thereto;
- prescribe conditions under which Institutions, including those that are not part of the State educational system, may be opened and operated;
- set up national or regional evaluation councils or authorize any existing council or similar body to carry out accreditation of Institutions including their department, faculties and disciplines by giving them appropriate ratings. The Commission shall help build capacity of existing councils or bodies in order to enhance the reliability of the evaluation carried out by them;
- advise the Federal Government and the Provincial Government on proposals for granting a charter to award degrees in both public and private sector
- submit to the Federal Government the recurring and development budgets for public sector Institutions and allocate fundsto public sector Institution out of bulk financial provision received from the government and other resources onperformance and need basis;
- review and examine the financial requirements of public sector Institutions; approve and provide funds to these Institutions on the basis of annual recurring needs as well as for development projects and research based on specific proposals and performance and while approving funds for a public sector Institution the Commission shall ensure that a significant proportion of the resources of the Institution are allocated to research support and libraries;
- approve projects within the same ceilings as are specified for Department Development Working Party;
- advise Institutions in raising funds from sources other than Government;
- support the development of linkages between Institutions and industry as well as national and international organizations that fund research and development with a view to enhancing research;
- facilitate the introduction of educational programmes that meet the needs of the employment market and promote the study of basic and applied sciences in every field of national and international importance in the Institutions;
- advise Institutions in ensuring a proper balance between teaching and research;
- cause to be set up testing bodies and designate any existing body for the purpose;
- determine the equivalence and recognition of degrees, diplomas and certificates awarded by Institutions within the country and abroad;
- develop guidelines and facilitate the implementation of a system of evaluation of performance of faculty members and Institutions;
- provide guidelines as regards minimum criteria and qualifications for appointment, promotion; salary structure in consultation with the Finance Division and other terms and conditions of service of faculty for adoption by individual Institutions and review its implementation;
- take measures, including the allocation of funds, for the establishment of fellowships, scholarships, visiting professorships programmes or any other programme, in addition to assistance of similar programmes of Institutions; and facilitate greater mobility of faculty through national and international contacts;
- set up committees comprising national and international experts in various disciplines to advise the Commission on its affairs;
- promote formal links between Institutions in the country to make the most effective use of experience and specialized equipment and promote national and international linkages with respect to knowledge sharing, collaborative research, personnel exchange and cost sharing;
- encourage, support and facilitate training programs, workshop and symposia;
- guide Institutions in designing curricula that provides a proper content of basic sciences, social sciences, humanities, engineering and technology in the curricula of each level and guide and establish minimum standards for good governance and management of Institutions and advise the Chancellor of any institutions on its statutes and regulations;
- establish an endowment fund for higher education with contributions from governmental as well as non-governmental resources;
- collect information and statistics on higher education and Institutions as it may deem fit and may cause it published; and
- perform such other functions consistent with the provisions of this Ordinance as may be prescribed or as may be incidental or consequential to the discharging of the aforesaid functions.
Important QA Letters and Policies:
