Quality enhancement: Virtual University awarded highest rank by the HEC

The university met 93.5 per cent quality targets.

LAHORE:

The Virtual University has been awarded the highest rank by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) of the Higher Education Commission twice in a row in its annual assessment.

“Virtual University is very delighted for being ranked the highest by the QAA assessment and has attributed this academic success to the vigorous and persistent efforts of the staff,” said statement issued by the university said on Monday.

The QAA monitors and evaluates education standards in higher education institutions across the country.

The QAA sets targets for quality enhancement cells (QECs) of universities over a period of six months.

The QECs are evaluated on the basis of their performance according to the standards set by the HEC.

Under the system, percentages are established and categories awarded. Category W is the highest category in this regard, with scores above 85 per cent. This year, the QEC of the Virtual University met 93.5 per cent of the quality benchmarks.

These include research, faculty development, industry-academia linkages, academic freedom, standardised syllabi, streamlining processes across campuses according to international standards and ensuring compliance of the HEC guidelines. In an assessment carried out by the QAA in 2012, the university was placed in category W with a scoring of 91 per cent.

The statement further said that Rector Sadaqat Mehdi was delighted by the continuous academic success of the QEC at the university.

He also appreciated the advisor of the Directorate of the Quality Enhancement Cell Muhammad Nawaz for ensuring progress in the performance of the QEC.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19^th, 2013.