A five-day training workshop on “Quality Assurance” for administrative/non-teaching staff started on 16th of March, 2015 at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan under the Modern University Governance Program on the Indigenous On-campus Training (IOT). It aimed at creating awareness about the quality assurance and promoting quality culture at the educational institutions. Around 35 participants from the administrative staff of the university including those from adjoining/affiliated educational institutions are participating in this 5-day workshop.
Prof. Dr Rai Niaz Ahmad, Vice Chancellor of the university, while inaugurating the workshop said this is the first Quality Assurance workshop of its type that has been organized exclusively for the administrative staff of the university which will create quality culture for which we are struggling hard to create. He said that there was no comparison of this nation with any other nation of the world but the only thing we are lacking is “Quality”. We need to address Quality in every walk of life and particularly in education, he added. He emphasize that the standards of Quality of higher education in Pakistan need to be improved to achieve the goals of competitiveness with the international standards. He further said, “There is no compromise on Quality and merit is the only criteria for our selection of new faculty for this university.” He appreciated efforts of the Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC) at Arid Varsity and the HEC for their dynamic roles to enhance the quality of education and research in the University to meet the international standards. He also appreciated the collaboration and financial support of the HEC for conducting this high quality workshop. He urged the participants to adapt best practices, equip themselves with the quality tools and play their roles as mangers to take this institution to one of the best educational institutions of the world. He hoped that impact of this quality workshop will go far assuring the quality and promoting good governance at this esteemed institution.
Earlier, Prof. Dr Riaz Ahmad, Director QEC and the Course Co-ordinator (Quality Assurance) welcomed the Vice Chancellor. In his welcoming address, he applauded the effort and the support of the Vice Chancellor to promote the quality culture at the varsity. He also welcomed all the participants from the university administration to this 5-day long workshop and hoped the participants will learn and benefit from the versatile and proven experiences of the speakers, professional trainers and consultants from the prestigious institutions. He hoped the workshop will sensitise the administrative/non-teaching staff for the Quality Assurance and quality culture. Professor Dr Yasin, the Convenor of the Course also addressed the participants and hoped that Quality Assurance workshop will benefit the administrative staff of the University significantly.
During the 5 days of the workshop 15 sessions including presentations, lectures, activities and interactive sessions on Quality Assurance will be conducted. The resource persons of the ongoing workshop include Professor Dr Azam Ali Khawaja (ex-Managing Director QAA-HEC), M.H. Abbasi, Dr M. Irfan Khan (Director IOSHE), Abdul Ghaffar (Senior Manager, Constec), Engineer M Ismail (Director QEC, NUST), Farrukh Idrees (FAST) Zahid Iqbal (Ripha International University), Nasir Shah (Director QAA- HEC), Prof. Dr Riaz Ahmad (Director QEC-AAUR) and Shahbaz Ahmad Khan (Dy Registrar QEC-AAUR).
On the first day of the workshop Professor Dr Azam Ali Khawaja, ex-Vice Chancellor of Quaid-e-Azam University and Former Managing Director of Quality Assurance Agency of the HEC, Islamabad, Muhammad Hashim Abbasi Former Senior Joint Educational Advisor, Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan, and Professor Dr Riaz Ahmad Director QEC, Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi highlighted the importance of Quality and Quality Assurance for the administration and academics in the higher educational institutions. They spoke on the Quality as a multi-dimensional concept embracing all its (HE) functions and activities, and the ways culture of Quality can achieve excellence in the higher education. There were also interactive and activities sessions during the day.
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