The first meeting of the Institutional Quality Circle (IQC) at the University of Chitral was held under the chairpersonship of the Honorable Vice Chancellor in his office. The meeting was attended by senior university officials including the Controller of Examinations, Additional Registrar, Additional Director Academics, Treasurer, representatives from ORIC, and the QEC team.
Dr. Yasir Arafat, Deputy Director QEC, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the PSG-2023 Quality Assurance Framework introduced by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan. He explained that the framework is built around three key layers of quality assurance:
1. Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) – conducted within departments using tools like Self-PREE and Self-RIPE.
2. External Quality Assurance (EQA) – conducted by external experts using PREE (Programme Review for Effectiveness and Enhancement) and RIPE (Review of Institutional Performance and Enhancement).
3. REQAAB – a higher-level review that evaluates the performance and credibility of Quality Assurance and Accreditation Bodies such as QAA.
The presentation also included details on SCALE, the strategic tool embedded in PSG-2023 to ensure institutions align their goals with measurable quality outcomes. Special attention was given to the RIPE process, which provides a 360-degree institutional review covering governance, planning, curriculum, faculty, infrastructure, and student services. Similarly, PREE focuses on the quality and effectiveness of individual academic programs, ensuring they are aligned with national standards and industry needs.
The Vice Chancellor appreciated the initiative and highlighted the importance of implementing quality assurance mechanisms across all academic and administrative units. He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to continuous quality improvement in line with national and international higher education standards.
