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HEC fortifies units for quality control
ISLAMABAD, April 17(Dawn): For further strengthening the monitoring of quality
education at the public sector universities, the Higher Education Commission
(HEC) has set up 20 new Quality Enhancement Cells (QECs), an official statement
said on Monday.
This is in addition to the 10 already existing QECs,
formed in the first phase of the Quality Assurance Agency project, bringing
their number to 30.
The purpose of establishing these cells is to enhance
the quality of education, in institutions of higher learning and to vigorously
tackle cases of plagiarism, reported in universities, and devise policies for
curbing this menace.
According to the HEC officials, the decision has
been taken in the background of increasing incidents of plagiarism in the higher
education sector. For the initial year, the HEC would provide financial
assistance and necessary equipment to the respective universities to run the
QECs. Afterwards, relevant universities would be responsible for their
operation.
To a query they said, focal persons would be appointed at
these QECs for the liaison between the HEC and the degree- awarding
institutions.
In case the HEC needs information on a certain issue, the
respective focal persons would be contacted. These cells would keep updated
information on measures a university has taken for the promotion of quality
education.
The HEC is also member of prestigious international quality
assurance and accreditation networks such as the International Network of
Quality Assurance in Higher Education (IQAAHE) and the Asia Pacific Quality
Network (APQN).
The HEC has also established a number of councils for
monitoring quality of education in different disciplines. These are: the
National Computing Education Accreditation Council, the National Agricultural
Education Accreditation Council, the Accreditation Council for Teachers
Education and the Pakistan Business Education Accreditation Council.
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