BACKGROUND
In Pakistan, the Higher Education Commission strives to implement a quality culture in degree-awarding institutions. For that purpose, Quality Enhancement Cells (QECs) have been established in all degree-awarding institutions and their affiliated colleges to strengthen the internal quality assurance mechanism. These QECs have been annually assessed by the Quality Assurance Agency of the Higher Education Commission for their performance against the defined parameters. Whereas, for external quality assurance, different mechanisms have been devised at the institution and programme levels.
Quality Enhancements Cells serve as central units for monitoring, supervising, evaluating, and enhancing the quality of education by developing and implementing quality assurance policies, procedures, guidelines, and practices. By establishing QECs, institutions are better equipped to identify areas for improvement and implement measures to address the rising challenges, and implement interventions to enhance the overall learning experience.
In order to meet the challenges in academic settings and ensure quality education, the Health Aid College of Nursing and Health Sciences established its Quality Enhancement Cell in 2022. Since, then, the institute has implemented various innovative strategies and measures to ensure quality enhancement guidelines, policies, and procedures are in place.
PURPOSE
QEC is responsible for enhancing academic quality and ensuring a consistent and integrated approach in the development and implementation of the quality assessment mechanism of academic programme curricula, policies, and academic, teaching, and learning standards. The committee assesses, recommends, and approves the curriculum for programmes at HACN&HS in line with the standards set by the Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences (PUMHS), Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC), and Nursing Education Board Punjab (NEBP). It also recommends policy changes pertaining to curricula to HEC, PNC, NEBP, and PUMHS.
OBJECTIVES
The main objective of QEC is to facilitate the implementation of Quality Assurance procedures and practices and also ensure quality enhancement at the institutional level. So with continuous improvement of strategies, resolute effort, and action, the criteria of quality in all aspects of the university can be met. Such a check on the quality of learning, research, and administration would help to attain international competitiveness and compatibility among the top competitors in Pakistan. QEC is determined to:
- Establish a quality–centered approach, processes, and practices at HACN&HS for institutional effectiveness that positively impacts the stakeholders.
- Strengthen the internal Quality Assurance process at HACN&HS through Self-Assessment as per HEC criteria.
- Prepare academic and non-academic departments and programs to meet the criteria and standards of statutory bodies and international higher education evaluation/accreditation bodies and rankings.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
- QEC is responsible for promoting public confidence that the quality and standards of the award of degrees are enhanced and safeguarded.
- QEC is responsible for the review of quality standards and the quality of teaching and learning in each subject area.
- QEC is responsible for the review of academic affiliations with other institutions in terms of effective management of standards and quality of programs.
- QEC is responsible for defining clear and explicit standards as points of reference to the reviews to be carried out. It should also help the employees to know what they could expect from candidates.
- QEC is responsible for developing a qualifications framework by setting out the attributes and abilities that can be expected from the holder of an undergraduate-level qualification.
- QEC is responsible to develop program specifications. These are standard sets of information clarifying what knowledge, understanding, skills, and other attributes a student will have developed on successfully completing a specific program.
- QEC is responsible for developing quality assurance processes and methods of evaluation to affirm that the quality of provision and the standard of awards are being maintained and to foster curriculum, subject, and staff development, together with research and other scholarly activities.
- QEC is responsible for ensuring that the university’s quality assurance procedures are designed to fit in with the arrangements in place nationally for maintaining and improving the quality of Higher Education.
- QEC is responsible for developing procedures for the following:
- Approval of new program
- Annual Monitoring and evaluation including program monitoring, Faculty monitoring, and student perceptions.
- Departmental review
- Student feedback
- Employer feedback
- Subject review
- Institutional assessment
- Program specifications
- Qualification Framework
MEMBERSHIP
Internal – Health Aid College of Nursing and Health Sciences (HACN&HS)
- Mr. Mukhtar Ali Khan, Head of QEC, Health Aid College of Nursing and Health Sciences (HACN&HS), Islamabad
- Mr. Salahuddin, Deputy, Health Aid College of Nursing and Health Sciences (HACN&HS), Islamabad
- Mr. Noman Ali, Officer, Health Aid College of Nursing and Health Sciences (HACN&HS), Islamabad
- Mr. Faisal, Data Analyst, Health Aid College of Nursing and Health Sciences (HACN&HS), Islamabad
External – Prime Institute of Health Sciences (PIHS)
- Dr. Aqeel Sayed Shah, Officer, Prime Institute of Health Sciences (PIHS), Islamabad