The Higher Education Commission, Pakistan has directed public and private sector universities to review and update the Pakistan Qualifications Register while providing relevant and latest information.
HEC Director Media HEC Aayesha Ikram said that PQR was initiated in October, 2016 and it is a component of National Qualifications Framework (NQF). It is an online database which contains information regarding accredited higher qualifications and institutions recognized by HEC of all public and private sector universities including their sub campuses and affiliated as well as constituent colleges. The PQR is aimed to provide clearly the levels of knowledge, skills and competencies to be acquired by every graduate. The PQR has been established in line with the international norm where every country maintains a register of the academic programmes.
In a letter to Vice Chancellors of public and private sector universities, the Vice Chancellors have been requested to instruct focal persons and relevant staff to review the already filled data and remove anomalies, duplications or typographical errors and update the PQR with latest information regarding programmes being offered by universities by September 30, 2018 while removing the anomalies in their degree nomenclature.
Although most of the universities have uploaded maximum information of their programmes in PQR till now, yet some of the data from the programmes is missing or titles of degree do not match.
The letter reveals that after erasing anomalies and duplications, a certificate shall be rendered by the university to HEC ascertaining that data has been cleansed in the PQR.
The letter says, "in order to facilitate graduates of such programmes in degree attestation process they were permitted to upload the correct information. The information uploaded by graduates was checked manually and accepted by the HEC on the basis of physical verification."
The letter further reads, "It has been noted that there are some duplications or mistakes in the degree titles as well as typographical errors etc. in the data available in PQR. This has been causing delays in the degree attestation process and inconvenience to graduates as well as HEC staff."
Meanwhile, in another letter to Vice Chancellors regarding validity of HEC recognised journals, the HEC has extended validity of HEC recognised journals for faculty appointment, promotion; selection of HEC approved supervisor, award of PhD degree and other such requirements.
Moreover, for more details web links of HEC recognised journals can be accessed through the links:www.hec. gov.pk/journals and www.hec.gov.pk/ ssjournals, Aayesha added.