Director QEC Message

Living in the 21^st century has its own demands. It requires information, media and technology literate human resource that possesses critical and creativity thinking, who can effectively communicate and collaborate across the universe, and can meet the challenges with flexibility and diversity. Due this demand university academia is in the process of rapid evolution. Academic institutions, systems, programs and courses will obsolete if it could not set and meet standards and benchmarks required for these demands.

Under these conditions I believe, the role of the Quality Enhancement Cell is very vital. It is not only the responsibility of my house to promote confidence of its’ stakeholder by set, implement and review clear, explicit and quality academic standards, benchmark them with world recognize practices, but also prepare leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow who can make contribution in the evolving world.

Currently NUR International University is in compliance with national quality assurance agency (QAA) framework; develop our human resources through capacity building trainings, program audits, review processes and self-assessment reports. It is my plan not only to strengthen the QEC processes and practices, but also ensure the university compatibility with international standards and get accreditation by international quality assurance agencies.

Functions of QEC

• The Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC) is to be headed by the Director reporting directly to Vice Chancellor. He is to be the correspondent with the outside bodies.
• 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.
• QEC is responsible to ensure qualifications framework, attributes and abilities that can be expected from the holder of a qualification, i.e. Bachelors, M. Phil.,
• QEC is responsible to ensure program specifications. These are standard set of information clarifying what knowledge, understanding, skills and other attributes a student will have developed on successfully completing a specific program.
• QEC is responsible to develop quality assurance processes and methods of evaluation to affirm provision of quality and standard are being maintained to foster curriculum, subject and staff development, together with research and other scholarly activities.
• QEC is responsible to ensure 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 also responsible of developing procedures for the following:

• Approval of new programs 
• Student feedback 
• Institutional assessment 
• Program specifications 
• Qualification framework 
• Self-Assessment reports of all faculties
• MS/PhD Program Reviews

National & International Memberships & Rankings

QEC Structure

• Organogram

Self-Assessment Process

QEC at NIU is establishedfor self-assessment process as instructed by Quality Assurance Agency (QAA-HEC). Self-assessment process is an important tool for academic quality assurance, and provides feedback for faculty and administration to initiate action plans for improvement. We conduct self-assessment process for academic programs in order to improve them and ensure high academic standards by providing feedback for faculty and administration to initiate action plan for improvement.

Objectives

The objectives of self-assessment are to:

• Provide students with essential skills to enter the workplace well prepared in the core competencies: problem solving abilities, experimental and data analysis techniques, team work experience, interpersonal skills, basic and advance IT skills.
• Prepare the academic program for review by discipline councils.

Flow chart

• Program Team

The Program team will be responsible for preparing a self-assessment report (SAR) about the program under consideration over a period of one semester. They will be the contact group during the assessment period 2019-21.

• Assessment Team

The Vice Chancellor forms an assessment team (AT) in consultation with the QEC recommendations within one month. The AT comprises of 2-3 faculty members from within or outside the university. The AT must have at least one expert in the area of the assessed program.

QEC organized a series of review visits to Assessment Teams scheduled from 12^th to 15^th March 2021. The purpose to AT visit was to evaluate responses to various criteria and standards identified by HEC Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) and verify information provided in SARs. Details of the visits are provided in the following;

QEC arranged a Program Self-Assessment Exit Meeting on 25^th March 2021. Assessment team presented their findings to QEC in the presence of deans and HoDs.

Status of Self-Assessment Reports.

Following Program SAR’s completed during the assessment period 2019-21

1. Doctor of Physical Therapy
2. Bachelor of Business Administration
3. BS Applied Psychology
4. BS Medical Lab Technology
5. BS Biochemistry
6. BS Speech Language & Pathology
7. BS Nutritional Sciences
8. MS Food Nutrition & Dietetics

QEC Activities

• Seminars

1. Deputy Director QEC attended 01^st International Seminar on Times Higher Education (THE) university’s ranking on October 24, 2019 at The University of Lahore.

• Conferences

1. Will be updated soon

• Workshops

• Qamer Ahmed, Deputy Director Quality Enhancement Cell participated in Online Training Session on Higher Education Data Repository arranged by, Higher Education Commission Islamabad on Wednesday, November 3, 2021.
• Qamer Ahmed, Deputy Director Quality Enhancement Cell participated in online Session on Targets for QECs-Assessment Year 2021-22 on 15th October, 2021 arranged by QAA/ HEC.
• Qamer Ahmed, Deputy Director Quality Enhancement Cell participated in online Vice Chancellors Committee Meeting held on October 4, 2021. The meeting was about; Engagement of University Faculty in the Development of the Single National Curriculum, and VCs/Stakeholders Engagement in HEC’s World Bank Assisted Project “Higher Education Development in Pakistan”.
• Mr Zia Rathore, Acting Director Quality Enhancement Cell attended/participated in various training/consultative meetings, that were similar to his scope of work, conducted organized by different organizations. Various national and international eminent scholars were the speakers. These training various eminent scholars through virtual means. Details are given in the following;

• Qamer Ahmed Deputy Director (NIU) participated in Quality Assurance in E-Learning on June 12-13, 2020. The workshop aims to provide a forum to all the participants from Quality Enhancement Cells of different DAIs, academicians, and administration for the exchange of best practices in current the situation emerged due to COVID-19 pandemic. The Virtual university of Pakistan initiated this workshop to familiarize all the participants about teaching-learning processes in the online mode because as a pioneer in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) based education in Pakistan

• Qamer Ahmed Deputy Director (NIU) participated in Quality Assurance in E-Learning on June 12-13, 2020 organized by Virtual University of Pakistan (VUP) in Collaboration with Commonwealth of Learning. The workshop aims to provide a forum to all the participants from Quality Enhancement Cells of different DAIs, academicians, and administration for the exchange of best practices in current the situation emerged due to COVID-19 pandemic.

• Two days workshop on Construct Examination Testing Items: Multiple Choice Questions and Short Answer Questions organized by NUR International University on 14^th – 15^th January 2020 by Dr. Amina Ahmed
• Workshop on “Institutional Quality in Higher Education” organized by the Quality Enhancement Cell on November 16^th, 2016 at NUR International University

• Workshop on “Grading Techniques” organized by the Quality Enhancement Cell on November 23^rd, 2016 at NUR International University

• Workshop on “Semester System” organized by the Quality Enhancement Cell on December 14^th, 2016 at NUR International University.

Trainings

Continuous Professional Development sessions conducted by QEC

• QEC at NIU conducted an interactive training session on “Planning for a Course Assessment” on 29^th December 2021. The session was conducted by Mr. Zia Rathore and the Deans, HoD’s, permanent and visiting faculty members attended the session. Mode of the session was hybrid.

• QEC conducted a training session for the Program Team on Self-Assessment Process on December 29, 2021. . Mr. Qamer Ahmed (Deputy Director QEC) briefed to program Team about policies and procedures related to self-assessment process.

• QEC conducted a training session for Deans, HoD’s, permanent and visiting faculty members on 29 December, 2021. The aim of the session was to get them familiarize with policies and procedures related Internal Quality Assurance Mechanism of QEC. Mr. Qamer Ahmed (Deputy Director QEC) briefed about the demands of HEC-QAA/QEC during a semester from a course instructor.

• QEC organized a training session required for the ATs. Mr Qamer Ahmed (Deputy Director QEC) conducted a session on 25^th January, 2021 for all the members of ATs and HoD. Purpose of the training was to get AT members acquainted with their roles and responsibilities along with procedures of Self-Assessment.

• Campus-on-Cloud Faculty Training Session
• University is in the process of deployment of its campus management system “Campus-on Cloud”. To train its faculty about how to operate the software (Academic Module) a virtual faculty training session was organized by the Controller of Examinations office in collaboration with the depart of Information Technology on 21^st May 2021.

• One day workshop on “How to write Self- Assessment Report” was organized by Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC), NUR International University on March 12^th The workshop was organized for program team members of academic departments to provide training in Self-Assessment Report Writing. Mr. Muhammad Yousaf Jameel was the resource person, He elaborated the process of self-assessment and objectives of self-assessment, defined roles of Program teams (PTs) and Assessment Teams (ATs).  He also explained the faculty for the criteria of program mission, objectives and outcome, formulating the program and designing of courses during the workshop.

• Psychometrics II (A 4 hours session, January 2019)-Zia Rathore

This session was conducted in connection with the session conducted on November 2018. Focus of the session was types of questions (Dichotomous, Factual, Convergent, Divergent, Evaluative), Use of Bloom’s Taxonomy to construct questions at various level of cognition, and use of understanding with types and levels to construct objective based, interpretive and essay type questions.

• Psychometrics III (A 4 hours session, January 2019)-Zia Rathore

Main contents of this session were; Development of Marking Criterion and Table of Specification. Discussion based session was initiated to explore the criterion referenced assessment and standardization of marking of students’ work product. Mainly two types of criterions were discussed; analytical and holistic marking criteria. Similarly one way and two way table of specification was discussed to improve the quality of examination papers.

• Conduct and Manage Examination (An hour session, January 2019)-Zia Rathore

This session was conducted to share useful information about how to conduct examination and manage various responsibilities associated with all three phases of examination. For the facilitation a document was constructed and shared during the session (Guidelines for Exam Paper Developers). They were also supported by providing a document, Guidelines for Invigilators that will help them conduct examination.

• Psychometrics-I (A 90 minutes session, November 2018)-Zia Rathore

This session was first of the series, organized for the teachers of NIU, to focus on some main areas of assessment including;

• Importance and purpose of ILOs in semester system
• Construction of SMART ILO statements
• Levels of cognitive domain for assessment of ILOs
• Types of testing items (MCQs and Complex Achievement Questions)

• Giving Constructive Feedback (A 90 minutes session, December 2018)-Zia Rathore

Performance of students is very much dependent upon the support provided to them in the form of feedback. It was realized that students must be given constructive feedback especially at the time of mid-semester examination that is philosophical underpinning of semester system. During the interactive session it was explored the importance of feedback, effect of feedback on self-esteem, principles of giving feedback, difference between feedback and constructive feedback, various models of providing constructive feedback (Sandwich, SBI, Pendleton and DESC) but also use role play techniques to model various models of giving constructive feedback.

1. MeetingsSemester Spring 2021 Review MeetingA series of post semester review meeting was held from 20^th -23^rd September 2021 with departmental heads and faculty members at NIU boardroom:Mr. Zia Rathore shared the examination papers analysis report which included:
   1. Composition, type and ratio of various types of testing items, and
   2. Quality of exam papers in terms of Language Skills, Quality of Construct, and Formatting,

   Mr. Qamer Ahmed present the parameters of student feedback analysis report for spring semester 2021. Head of departments and faculty members were requested plan corrective actions and implement in the Fall 2021.

   1. Assessment and Grade Review Committee (AGRC) Meetings
   2. Final Examinations for the semester Spring 2021 were held between 21^st June to 2^nd July 2021 to review the quality of assessment methods and tools. Meetings were called by the office of controller of examinations, and registrar, Deputy Director QEC, relevant Deans, HoDs and faculty member/s attended the meetings. AGRC meetings were organized on 13^th to 14^th July 2021 according to the given schedule;

   Sr No.	Departments	Date/Time
   1	Clinical Nutrition	13th July 2021
   2	Physical Therapy	13th July 2021
   3	Business Administration	13th July 2021
   4	Medical Lab Technology	14th July 2021
   5	Applied Psychology	14th July 2021
   6	Speech & Language Pathology	14th July 2021
   7	Biochemistry	14th July 2021

   2. The mid-semester examinations for the semester Fall-2021 were held on 29^th November to 04^th December, 2021. Post mid-semester examinations AGRC meetings were scheduled during the 9^th week of the semester with six departments of the university. Schedule of the meetings are given in the following;

   Sr No.	Department	Date/Time
   1.	Business Administration	14 December 2021
   2.	Biochemistry	14 December 2021
   3.	Clinical Nutrition	15 December 2021
   4.	Speech & Language Pathology	15 December 2021
   5.	Medical Lab Technology	16 December 2021
   6.	Physical Therapy	16 December 2021

   1. Review meetings Professor Dr. Nazia Yazdanie

   Senior advisor Prof. Dr. Nazia Yazdanie visited campus and the department of controller of examinations and Quality Enhancement Cell shared its processes and practices. A detailed information extracted through various reports generated by the departments were presented to her that includes;

   • students and faculty satisfaction survey process along with the analysis
   • Spring 2021 final examinations papers analysis
   • Spring 2021 Grade-distribution analysis

   The process used the departments were well appreciated and suggestions were given for further improvements.

Memberships

            Pakistan Network of Quality Assurance in Higher Education (PNQAHE)

Institutional Performance Evaluation (IPE)

• Institutional Performance Evaluation (IPE)

In order to improve the performance of HEIs, HEC has started with primary step of outlining the Performance Evaluation Standards for the HEIs to be used for the purpose.

A total of eleven standards are defined in this document, and all of these standards are equally important to be met by the HEIs to achieve the desired certification to quality provision in higher education, international visibility and significant place in the regional and international rankings of the HEIs.

Various performance evaluation standards outlining major areas to be focused on by the HEIs for evaluation of their effectiveness and future development are given below:

• Standard 1:            Mission Statement and Goals
• Standard 2:            Planning and Evaluation
• Standard 3:            Organization and Governance
• Standard 4:            Integrity
• Standard 5:            Faculty
• Standard 6:            Students
• Standard 7:            Institutional Resources
• Standard 8:            Academic Programs and Curricula
• Standard 9:            Public Disclosure and Transparency
• Standard 10:          Assessment & Quality Assurance
• Standard 11:          Student Support Service

First IPE Visit QAA-HEC

Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC) at NIU has successfully conducted the Institutional Performance Evaluation visit of HEC. The Review Panelists from the Quality Assurance Agency of the Higher Education Commission (QAA-HEC) visited NUR International University Institutional Performance Evaluation (IPE) in 2018

Self-Institutional Performance Evaluation (IPE)

IPE or self-IPE is a major activity mandated by HEC-QAA. In this activity HEIs QEC compile data against eleven (11) standards. NIU QEC organized an Institutional Performance Evaluation (IPE) Visit on June 10^th 2021. A team of externals members, Muhammad Waseem (Director QEC) and Mr. Naveed Ahmed (Deputy Director QEC) from the National College of Arts (NCA) visited the university. The audit intends to strictly scrutinize the university portfolio report, visited campus (classrooms, auditorium, laboratories, library) and brief interactive sessions was conducted with NIU administrative heads, faculty, students and focal persons of all the departments.

In general, the externals appreciative remarks especially;

• purpose-built building,
• well-equipped, air-conditioned classroom with provision of multimedia
• library
• transport facility
• highly qualified faculty and dedicate administrative staff
• well established policies
• well prepared and elaborated Student handbook
• scholarships of deserving and brighter students on need cum merit basis and
• well placed IT facilities.

Team of external appreciated the efforts of the QEC team in making the visit successful.

Surveys/Feedback

Feedback is an essential part of effective learning, and plays a pivotal role to improve the teaching methodology and learning environment. To capture the voice of students, receiving feedback on various stages in many ways and its application is a special area of focus.

• ​​Student Course Evaluation Questionnaire​ (Proforma-1)
  Faculty Course Review Report (Proforma-2)
• Survey of Graduating Students (Proforma-3)
• Research Student Progress Review Form (Proforma-4)
• Faculty Survey (Proforma-5)
• Alumni Survey (Proforma-6)
• Employer Survey (Proforma-7)
• Faculty Resume (Proforma-8)

Teacher Evaluation Form (Proforma-9)​

QEC Team

Zia RathoreDirector QEC

Zia Rathore is a reflective practitioner who believes in constructive pragmatism. Throughout his carrier he worked under the domains of academia, educational leadership, institutional management, and monitoring and evaluations. Beside national, he associated with the various international educational organizations like UNICEF, DfID, BRAC, DSD, PEF etc during his 18 years carrier so far and accomplished various tasks.He got opportunity to work with many international educational leaders,like Raphael Wilkins, Linda Cook, Steven Ryan, Allicia Colegardo, Alan Duncan, Ken Jones etc.He values innovation, diversity and openness, great admirer of Howard Gardner’s Multi-Intelligence Model, and his preferable style is participative. Contact: zia.rathore@niu.edu.pk Ph:+92 42 3539 9170-4 | Ext.117

Qamer Ahmed Deputy Director QEC

Mr. Qamer Ahmed did his Master in information & Operational Management from University of the Punjab and Mphil. (Total Quality Management) from PIQC. He holds more than eight years of experience in the field of Quality Enhancement. His main area of interest is Quality assurance in higher education. Contact: qamer.ahmed@niu.edu.pk Ph: +92 42 3539 9170-4 | Ext.117

MS/MPhil Program Review Visit

2021. MS/MPhil Program Review activity is a HEC QAA mandatory activity. QEC organized a Review Visit of MS/MPhil Programs on April 01^st MS-Food Nutrition & Dietetics program was reviewed by an external member Mr. Nauman Shahid (Deputy Director QEC) from University of the Central Punjab.
2022. Program Review was concluded in Exit Meeting. Mr Nauman Shahid (Deputy Director QEC, UCP) shared visit finding with Mr. Zia Rathore (Director QEC), Mr. Qamer Ahmed (Deputy Director QEC), Ms. Shazia Zahra (Head of Department Clinical Nutrition) and Dr. Qaisar Raza (Department of Clinical Nutrition).
2023. Overall the external member appreciated the quality and practices followed to execute MS-Food, Nutrition and Dietetics program. Few suggestions were shared for further improvements. All participants appreciated the efforts of university QEC team in making the visit successful.