The Launching Ceremony of Establishment of Quality Enhancement Cells (QEC’s) at its Affiliated Colleges in collaboration with Higher Education Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was held at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University Peshawar. The Special Secretary Higher Education Department, KP Mr. Manzoor Ahmed graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The other dignitaries present in the launching ceremony included Dr. Subhnaullah Shah, Director Higher Education KP, Mian Adil Iqbal, Project Director, Project Management Unit KP

Moreover, the principals of all Affiliated Colleges and their BS coordinators were also present at the event who, after the closing of launching ceremony were given basic training 

The establishment of QECs at Affiliated colleges was requested by SBBWU to the Higher Education Department through Directorate of Higher Education, Archives and Libraries and Project Management Unit KP. The task was taken up by SBBWU with PMU and DHE back in January 2018 where a number of consultative meetings were held among the team of SBBWU, Director HE and Project Director, Project Management Unit (PMU). The things started taking shape quickly as the same task was on the priority list of KP Government. Within a span of 4 months the QECs are established not only in the Government Degree Colleges affiliated with SBBWU but across KP in all BS offering Government Degree Colleges under the administration of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the initiative of SBBWU and support and will of the Higher Education Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Quality Assurance of Higher Education has been a burning issue since the last two decades almost around the world. Pakistan realized it back in 2002 wherein the Universities were taken up in this regard. This is the first initiative of its kind in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, of a University to approach HED for establishing QECs at its affiliated colleges. This initiative was so much in line with what HED KP was planning that the concept was accepted and QECs were established not only in Government Degree Colleges affiliated with SBBWU but all GDC across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa offering BS programs.

With the launch of BS programs at GDC across KP, establishment of QECs was a much awaited thing to be done at the level of degree colleges.

The QEC of the affiliated colleges of SBBWU will be working in close coordination with the QEC of the University. The QECs of the Affiliated Colleges will be responsible for implementing Internal Quality Assurance practices and preparing the College for External reviews both at Program as well as Institutional level. 

The major function or objective of establishment of QECs at the GDC is to promote public confidence that the quality and standards for the award of degree and overall quality of knowledge being imparted by the institute (college) are being maintained, enhanced and safeguarded.

Two MoUs were also signed at the occasion. The first MoU was signed between SBBWU and Directorate of Higher Education, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on collaboration on establishment of QECs at Government Degree Colleges of KP and Capacity Building of the QEC staff at the Government Degree Colleges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The signatories were Dr. Subhnaullah Shah, Director Higher Education, KP and Prof. Dr. Razia Sultana, Vice Chancellor SBBWU.

The second MoU was signed between Project Management Unit and SBBWU on Cooperation in developing PC-1 on establishment of Quality Enhancement Cells in the Government Degree Colleges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and execution of the Capacity Building component of PC-1 Establishment of QECs in Government Degree Colleges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The KP Government plans to strengthen the QEC set up at Colleges for which a PC1 is underway.

The Launching ceremony was followed by a training workshop for the QEC staff of the affiliated colleges by SBBWU where the colleges were oriented on structure and functions of QEC and detailed training on Self-Assessment of programs and implementation of Evaluation proformae was given. This was the first training and such trainings will continue on regular basis.

The Special Secretary appreciated the initiative of Prof. Dr. Razia Sultana, Vice Chancellor SBBWU and her collaborative approach in establishing of Quality Enhancement Cells at Government Degree Colleges across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The efforts of Project Management Unit and the support of Directorate of Higher Education with SBBWU were acknowledged and appreciated by Prof. Dr. Razia Sulatana.