By

Asif Ali

Education Fri 07 2026

HEC hosted a Quality Leadership Session in Faisalabad

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan successfully held another regional meeting of the National Leadership Engagement Series on Pakistan Precepts, Standards and Guidelines (PSG-2023) titled "The Quality Compact" at the University of Faisalabad. It was a platform for the Deans, Registrars, quality assurance officers, those from industry and students from 23 degree-awarding institutions of South Punjab to reinforce a commitment to excellence in higher education.

The session was organized by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) of HEC and focused on the theme “From Conformity to Ownership,” which highlighted that the universities should move beyond the context of regulatory compliance and build a culture of collective institutional responsibility for quality assurance. The programme is part of HEC's efforts to improve governance in the higher education system, the quality of higher education and institutional performance throughout Pakistan.

The engagement was designed to give the university leadership an understanding of the Pakistan Precepts, Standards and Guidelines (PSG-2023) which is a detailed document developed by the HEC that enables continuous quality improvement in higher education institutions. The participants shared their views on the role of the framework for creating a transparent governance system in the university, improving teaching and learning, qualitying research, and improving student care.

One of the major achievements of the session was the introduction of the PERLI Golden Thread framework that showcases how all four processes of institutional vision, planning, implementation, review and continuous improvement should be connected to guarantee sustainable quality improvement. Attendees discussed through dialogue and practical examples ways to integrate the principles of quality assurance into institutional planning and academic life.

The event also highlighted the recently launched digital platform, Q-CIRCLE, by HEC for continuous institutional review, quality monitoring and evidence-based decision-making. It is expected to modernize the process of quality assurance on the platform, allowing institutions to monitor quality indicators, record results, and enhance internal quality assurance processes by leveraging transparency and technology.

The session also served to connect with industry professionals and students, acknowledging the need for a collaborative approach among all stakeholders to drive quality education. Perspectives were offered by industry members around the theme of bridging the gap between the changing needs of the workforce and higher education, and students shared their ideas and suggestions for enhancing their learning experiences and institutional services. Their involvement underlined the need to be responsive to society needs and future job market requirements regarding quality assurance.

The National Leadership Engagement Series is designed to foster institutional ownership of quality assurance and not just an exercise of compliance, officials said. HEC aims to establish a sustainable quality culture that enables universities to continue to enhance the quality of teaching and learning and the effectiveness of the institutions.

This engagement in the region in Faisalabad is another significant initiative undertaken by HEC to build the capacity of the education institutions and enhance leadership skills in Pakistan's higher education sector, which is sustained by continuous innovation and capacity building. The implementation of PSG-2023 will likely contribute greatly to the improvement of educational standards, competitiveness of Pakistan's higher education system, and public confidence in the quality of Pakistan's higher education system with the efforts of various initiatives like Quality Compact.

The Islamabad Center for Peace and Education (ICPE) hailed HEC's ongoing initiative to foster a culture of quality in Pakistan's universities and said the National Leadership Engagement Series (NLES) was a timely and progressive effort to develop a culture of quality. ICPE says the shift from 'conformity to ownership' is a 'significant change in the governance of higher education'. HEC is empowering university leaders to continuously strive for improvements and not only regulatory compliance by providing them with up-to-date frameworks like PSG-2023, the PERLI Golden Thread, and the Q-CIRCLE digital platform.

The ICEP believes that continuous efforts in quality assurance, academic leadership, and stakeholder engagement will help build a robust knowledge economy in Pakistan, making graduates more employable, improving research quality, and boosting the international credibility of Pakistani universities. ICPE also emphasized that promoting academic-industry-academic linkages is crucial to creating an innovative, inclusive, and international higher education system that can support Pakistan's long-term social and economic development.