ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) hosted an expert review of the eligibility criteria employed to rank Pakistan’s universities.
The meeting was part of a series being held to gain input from academic experts and stakeholders to provide feedback on best practices and find avenues for further improvement. HEC Executive Director Dr Arshad Ali chaired the meeting which was attended by National Accreditation for Teacher Education chairpersons and representatives, National Business Education Accreditation Council, and Homeopathic Council.
Dr Arshad said that the criteria should motivate higher education institutions to make required changes to improve their academic quality as well as develop a healthy competitive environment. Before embarking on the new rankings which aim to rank university programmes rather than universities as a whole, HEC has sought a review of criteria for greater visibility and objective quantification.
The participants presented valuable input by examining each point and the marks that it carried. The discussion stressed the need to place greater emphasis on quality of education and social integration of the education being imparted. It was agreed that there should be a strategic thrust for emphasis on policies to ensure quality aligned with Vision 2025 goals and SDGs.
The experts also reviewed Key Performance Indicators, while new ones were included and new weightages were also awarded. The main themes that came under the microscope were quality assurance, faculty and students, teaching quality, research, finance, facilities and social integration and community development. Impact of the proposed methodology on Vision 2025 was also established.
