Quality Enhancement Cell

Quality Enhancement Cell at the University of Science and Technology (UST), Bannu

Quality and quality assurance in higher education have become key issues nationally as well as internationally. Quality assurance is a new term that has come into the higher education vocabulary over the past decade or so. Quality assurance refers to systematic management and assessment procedures adopted to ensure achievement of specified quality or improved quality, and to enable key stakeholders to have confidence in the management of quality and the outcomes achieved. In this backdrop, the QECs at national universities will act as ‘linking pin’ between the Quality Assurance Agency of HEC and the national universities. It is expected to implement the HEC guidelines on quality assurance and help the Quality Assurance Agency in monitoring quality assurance outcomes. It will also help in introducing enabling environment which would foster elements to build knowledge economyand provide higher education in Pakistan a global identity. Establishment of QECs will substantially contribute in success of other programs of higher learning such as faculty, curriculum, and infrastructure development.

University of Science and Technology (UST), Bannu has established its Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC) in early March 2011 and it is in its infancy. The QEC plans to bring about revolutionary changes and to improve the quality of output and efficiency of higher learning systems in this newly established university. Mr. Amanullah Khan Niazi has been appointed as Director, QEC on contract basis. Soon after his joining, the Director held his preliminary meetingwith Prof. Dr. Azam Ali Khawja, Managing Director, Quality Assurance Agency at Higher Education Commission, Islamabadin March 2011. Dr. Khawjaadvised the Director to hold a series of Awareness Seminars as soon as possible to elicit support of senior faculty and administration of the university. The name of Ms. AsiyahBukhari, Deputy Director, QEC, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, formerly Deputy Director (QEC) at Kohat University of Science and Technology, was suggested by Dr. Khawaja as Resource Person for the job.

Orientation Presentation for the Senior Faculty and Administration of UST, Bannu

Director, QEC made an orientation presentation on quality assurance/ enhancement systems and guidelines as developed by the HEC on 29^th March, 2011. The main purpose of this presentation was to impart first-hand knowledge on quality enhancement systems and mechanism as developed by the HEC and prepare thesenior faculty and administration for the subsequent Awareness Seminar which was scheduled for 25^th April, 2011.

First Awareness Seminar for the Senior Faculty and Administration of UST, Bannu

QEC arranged its first Awareness Seminar on 25^th April, 2011 wherein Ms. Asiyah Bukhari, Deputy Director, QEC, Khyber Medical University was invited as Resource Person. Her presentation was thought provoking which generated a detailed discussion on quality assurance and its mechanisms. Apart from other discussion points, she emphasized the need of cooperation and support from the senior faculty and administration of the University for success of QEC tasks.