ISLAMABAD, MAR 18 /DNA/ – The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan has formally reaffirmed its role as the sole national authority mandated to develop, notify, and maintain the regulatory framework for higher education, including the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), curriculum development, and faculty standards.
In a letter addressed to the Chairpersons and Heads of all Accreditation Councils, the HEC emphasised that while discipline-specific councils play a vital role in undergraduate programme accreditation and professional standards, the overarching policy and regulatory infrastructure remains the exclusive prerogative of the HEC under the provisions of the HEC Ordinance 2002.
The communication clarifies that the Accreditation Councils operate strictly within the broader framework established by HEC. Specifically, the HEC retains exclusive authority over system-level regulatory matters, including:
Formulate and notify National Standards and Policies for higher education in Pakistan;
Prescribe minimum criteria and standards for academic programmes and qualifications offered by Higher Education Institutions;
Develop academic policies and Curriculum for all programmes and disciplines
Develop and notify policies and criteria relating to the appointment, and evaluation of faculty members at HEIs; and
Ensure uniformity and coherence in quality assurance mechanisms across the higher education system.
A key clarification in the directive concerns advanced academic programmes. Citing the Graduate Education Policy (GEP-2023), the HEC stated that programmes at Level-7 (MPhil/MS/Master’s or equivalent) and Level-8 (Doctoral/PhD) fall directly within the academic regulatory mandate of HEC. As these programmes are research-based, the formulation of policies regarding faculty eligibility, supervisory requirements, and quality standards is the exclusive right of the Commission.
The HEC has directed all Accreditation Councils to ensure that any standards, guidelines, or accreditation criteria they develop are fully aligned with HEC policies. This includes ensuring that provisions concerning faculty qualifications, experience, and research publications maintain consistency with the criteria prescribed by the HEC to preserve national uniformity.
To strengthen coordination and coherence in the higher education sector, the HEC highlighted the implementation of the Pakistan Precepts, Standards and Guidelines (PSG-2023). This internationally benchmarked framework integrates institutional governance, learning outcomes, research quality, and accreditation oversight. Furthermore, the Reviewing and Effectiveness of Quality Assurance and Accreditation Bodies (REQAAB) framework has been operationalised to regulate and standardise the Accreditation Councils themselves through mandatory self-assessment and external review.
The directive was issued to a wide range of councils, including the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC), Pharmacy Council, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), and various education accreditation bodies such as National Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (NACTE), National Computing Education Accreditation Council (NCEAC), and National Business Education Accreditation Council (NBEAC), among others.
The Commission reiterated its commitment to fostering a robust, transparent, and internationally comparable higher education quality assurance system in Pakistan through continued collaboration with all Accreditation Councils.
