IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST MERCIFUL, THE MOST BENEFICENT

QUALITY ENHANCEMENT CELL PROF. DR. AAMIR IJAZ (DIRECTOR QEC & IQTM) University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore

ASSESSMENT Assessment is a systematic process of gathering, reviewing and using important quantitative and qualitative data and information from multiple and diverse sources about educational programs, for the purpose of improving student learning, and evaluating whether academic and learning standards are being met. The assessment process culminates when assessment results are used to improve student learning.

ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL ASSESSMENT PROGRAM Purpose identification Outcomes identification Measurements and evaluation design Data collection Analysis and evaluation Decision-making regarding corrective and preventive actions to be taken.

OBJECTIVES OF SELF ASSESSMENT Improvement and maintenance academic standards. Enhancement of student’s learning. Verification of the existing programs to meet their objectives and institutional goals. Providing feedback for quality assurance of academic programs.

COMPONENTS OF SELF ASSESSMENT PROCESS Criteria : Eight Criteria for Self assessment. Procedure: Specifies the process of initiating, conducting, and implementing the assessment.

STEPS OF PROCEDURE FOR SA Department forms the Program Team (PT) that will be responsible for preparing SAR. QEC reviews the documentation within one month. The VC forms the Assessment Team (AT) in consultation with the concerned Dean based on the recommendation of QEC. QEC plans and fixes AT visit.

STEPS OF PROCEDURE FOR SA AT conducts assessment and present its findings to QEC, Dean, PT and dept. faculty. QEC submits an executive summary to the Vice Chancellor. Department prepares implementation plan as per SAM. Follow up the implementation plan by QEC.

CRITERIA Each criterion has an intent: A statement of requirements to be met. Each criterion has several standards: They describe how the intents are minimally met

CRITERIA AND STANDARDS Program Mission, Objectives and Outcomes Curriculum Design and Organization Laboratories and Computing Facilities Student Support and Guidance Process Control Faculty Institutional Facilities Institutional Support

CRITERION 1 : PROGRAM MISSION, OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES Intent: Each program must have a mission, quantifiable measurable objectives and expected outcomes for graduates. Outcomes include competency and tasks graduates are expected to perform after completing the program.

CRITERION 2 : CURRICULUM DESIGN AND ORGANIZATION Intent: The curriculum must be designed and organized to achieve the program’s objectives and outcomes. Also course objectives must be in line with program outcomes. Curriculum standards are specified in terms of credit hours of study. A semester credit hour equals one class hour or two to three laboratory hours per week. The semester is approximately of fifteen weeks.

CRITERION 3: LABORATORIES AND COMPUTING FACILITIES Intent: Laboratories and computing facilities must be adequately available and accessible to faculty members and students to support teaching and research activities. In addition departments may benchmark with similar departments in reputable institutions to identify their shortcomings if any.

CRITERIAN- 4 : STUDENT SUPPORT AND ADVISING Intent: Student must have an adequate support to complete the program in a timely manner and must have ample opportunity to interact with their instructors and receive timely advice about program requirements and career alternatives.

CRITERION 5 : PROCESS CONTROL Intent: The processes by which major functions are delivered must be in place, controlled, periodically reviewed and continuously improved. To meet this criterion a set of standards must be satisfied.

CRITERION 6 : FACULTY Intent: Faculty members must be current and active in their discipline and have the necessary technical depth and breadth to support the program. There must be enough faculty members to provide continuity and stability, to cover the curriculum adequately and effectively, and to allow for scholarly activities.

CRITERION 7 : INSTITUTIONAL FACILITIES Intent: Institutional facilities, including library, computing facilities, classrooms and offices must be adequate to support the objective of the program.

CRITERION 8: INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT Intent: The institution’s support and the financial resources for the program must be sufficient to provide an environment in which the program can achieve its objectives and retain its strength.

LATEST STATUS Program Teams for all the departments have been formed. Self Assessment Reports of 29 departments have been received and reviewed by QEC and sent back to the 7 departments for changes. Assessment Teams of 30 departments have been approved by the Vice Chancellor.

ACTVITIES Lectures cum Group Discussions for the following faculties of University of the Punjab were carried out during the last quarter :-

ACTVITIES FacultyDateInvitedAttendedAbsent Arts & Humanities Behavior & Social Studies Commerce Education Islamic Studies Law Engineering & Technology Economics & Management Sciences Science Life Sciences Oriental Learning Pharmacy

ACTIVITIES Proceedings of Minutes of the Meeting of Group Discussions/Lectures were compiled and sent to all the invited departments/institutes/colleges, Vice Chancellor and Registrar of the University of the Punjab. QEC Teams visited the Centre for Clinical Psychology for clarification regarding SAM on ACTVITIES

ACTIVITIES Letters were sent to Deans of all Faculties requesting them to expedite the compilation of SAM Reports. At the same time, executive summaries of 10 audited departments have been sent to the respective departments and asked to prepare their implementation plan according to self assessment procedure. ACTVITIES

AUDITED DEPARTMENTS D epartments whose audit is completed and their executive summary is sent to these departments.  Department of Arabic  Department of Kashmir Studies  Department of Iqbal Studies  Department of Punjabi  Department of Persian  Department of Urdu  Institute of Quality & Technology Management  College of Engineering & Emerging Technology  Centre for Coal Technology  Department of English Language & Literature

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN The following department/institute/college have sent their implementation plan to QEC:- College of Engineering & Emerging Technology Institute of Quality & Technology Management Centre for Coal Technology Department of English Language & Literature

CONCLUSION The conclusions of these meetings are as under:- It is noticed that there is a lack of interest in SAM activities at departmental level. It is agreed that SAM is a great opportunity to enhance the level of education. The present format of SAM is more oriented towards engineering disciplines and is meant for semester systems. SAM is a generic system, the user are at liberty to make alterations to suit their requirements without changing the basic fundamentals of quality assurance as given in SAM.

Conclusion It is desired by program team members to reduce the teaching load on teachers involved in compilation of SAM at departmental level. High Turnover of program team members within departments is also noticed and needs to be discouraged. CONCLUSION

Conclusions SAM should be users friendly and simple; so that departments like Arabic, Urdu and Islamiat etc. can also follow the instructions and standards of SAM. As explained earlier the departments have the liberty to modify the SAM to suit their requirement without altering the fundamental of QA. Program Team Members, Assessment Team Members and Auditors should be given some incentives in the form of remuneration. CONCLUSION

The interest in QA & SAM completion can be increased among different departments, firstly by clarifying the SAM and by increasing awareness; secondly, SAM is not a survey form and it is a complete course of management system. However, the implementation of quality assurance and SAM can only be effectively implemented by the commitment in letter and spirit of the Directors and Deans of the Departments. The QEC can contribute by creating awareness by training in cluster of program teams. CONCLUSION

FUTURE PLAN To motivate the program team members for the implementation of SAM by carrying out meetings at departmental level. It may also include the visit of individual departments by QEC team if found necessary. Audits of Self Assessment Reports submitted by different departments is planned.

FUTURE PLAN Follow up with departments for Self Assessment Reports is already started and will continue as well. Follow up with changes suggested by QEC with departments who have sent their Self assessment reports is also underway. FUTURE PLAN

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