ISLAMABAD, MAY 20 /DNA/ – Executive Director Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan, Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum has stated that HEC is committed to upgrading the processes of accreditation of institutions and professional degree programmes in consultation with the Accreditation Councils. The Executive Director made this statement while addressing a meeting organized by Quality Assurance Agency, HEC at the Commission Secretariat.
The meeting addressed two key topics: accreditation issues of HEIs with Accreditation Councils and the introduction/implementation of additional courses and credit hours in university degree programs. A large number of academicians and representatives of accreditation bodies, including Prof. Syed Anwar-ul-Hassan Gilani, Consultant QAA & QAD HEC; Prof. Dr. Jamil Ahmad Khan, Vice Chancellor, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan; Dr. Moeed Wasim Yusuf, Rector, Beaconhouse National University (BNU); Prof. Dr. Najma Najam, Pro Rector, Institute for Arts and Culture Lahore and Dr. Shafay Shamail, Chairperson, National Computing Education and Accreditation Council, attended the meeting.
In the start of the meeting Rector BNU and academicians from other HEIs highlighted several key issues, emphasizing the need for clarity in accreditation processes and unified regulation. pointed out that strict accreditation rules, such as restrictions on sharing resources between departments and preferences for print journals over digital ones, can be counterproductive. They also emphasized that the institutions should be allowed to optimize their facilities and student intake based on capacity. Furthermore, they stressed the importance of evaluator training to standardize evaluation practices and ensure consistency.
Dr. Shafay and Dr. Jamil welcomed the suggestions by the HEIs and informed that they are updating their manual and planning evaluato training, aiming to make accreditation processes more flexible and automated. Both expressed optimism about improving processes through ongoing committee meetings and increased stakeholder engagement.
Dr. Farida Anjum, Director Research & Innovation Division, shed light on the procedure of adding any course or credit hours to the university education. She said that detailed consultative sessions involving all relevant stakeholders are held before making a course part of the system.
Prof. Dr. Anwar-ul-Hassan Gilani highlighted HEC’s recent approach, emphasizing consultation with all stakeholders. He underscored the guiding principle of “Flexibility without Compromise on Quality,” ensuring adaptability while maintaining high standards.
Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum emphasized the need for accreditation bodies to coordinate efforts to enhance higher education quality in Pakistan. He suggested that established councils mentor new ones to ensure consistency. Dr. Zia also highlighted the importance of dynamic policy review with stakeholder buy-in. He expressed openness to discussing interdisciplinary admissions, flexibility in scope enhancement, and resource sharing, such as labs and classrooms. Furthermore, he questioned the need for hard journals given the HEC-funded Digital Library, advocating for councils to evolve and adapt to changing needs. Dr. Zia further announced that HEC will soon convene a consultative meeting involving all accreditation bodies to conduct a comprehensive review of existing accreditation processes and frameworks. This initiative aims to align and strengthen accreditation standards across the board.
He underscored the importance of clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of Accreditation Councils, enabling them to effectively support HEC in fulfilling its regulatory and statutory functions. Moreover, Dr. Zia announced that HEC is also planning to organize targeted training programs for accreditors, particularly in cases where accreditation frameworks are amended. These training initiatives will ensure that accreditors are well-prepared to maintain educational quality and compliance across institutions.
The meeting ended with a vote of thanks from Mr. Asif Hussain, Director Quality Assurance Agency, HEC.
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