ISLAMABAD ( BMZ REPORT )
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate for further strengthening of accreditation process for engineering education in the country.
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad, Chairman HEC and Engr. Syed Abdul Qadir Shah, President PEC, signed the MoU. Dr. Mohammed Rafiq Baloch, Director General, Quality Assurance Agency, Mr. Awais Ahmad, Director General, Administration and Coordination and Mr. Nasir Shah, Director Quality Assurance Agency were also present at the occasion.
The MoU aims to revamp and strengthen process of accreditation of programmes in Engineering Education offered in all Institutions of Higher Education in Pakistan and to develop criteria for recognition of programmes in Engineering Education at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, curriculum of programmes and criteria for appointment of faculty.
HEC will recognize only those programmes that are accredited by PEC at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
HEC has already signed MoUs with different Accreditation Councils including Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners (PCATP), Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council (PVMC) and Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) etc.
It is pertinent to mention here that HEC had recently organized fifth meeting of country’s Accreditation Councils to discuss how the process of accreditation could be revamped and strengthened keeping in view the expansion of higher education sector, and learning from international best practices in the accreditation process.
Accreditation Councils are responsible for Programme Accreditation at undergraduate level across the country in the respective subjects with complete autonomy in terms of implementation under policy guidelines of HEC, whereas HEC is responsible for Institutional Accreditation as per its Act.