Ph.D. Program Review

Overview
The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), HEC got the mandate to ensure and enhance the quality of higher education by devising viable strategies. Considering the importance of implementing of External Quality Assurance Mechanism; QAA, HEC has established Accreditation Councils for quality assurance of undergraduate qualifications in different disciplines and initiated Ph.D. Program Review Process for quality assurance of Doctoral qualifications.
Due to mushroom growth of Degree Awarding Institutions (DAIs) and increasing demand of higher qualifications, almost all the DAIs and their Constituent & Affiliated Institutions have started Ph.D. programs. Unfortunately, there is no quality assurance mechanism developed for these programs, as a result these qualifications are being offered and awarded without passing through any External Quality Assurance Mechanism.
In this perspective, the Chairman HEC assigned task to QAA, HEC to devise a process for reviewing the Ph.D. degree qualifications. As a result, review process is being designed, based upon the successfully implemented Ph.D. Program Review Process.

Flowchart of Ph.D. Review Process

Step 1. The DAIs is asked to provide data (within 1 month) on prescribed proforma
The Quality Assurance Agency, HEC will send letters along with Ph.D. Review Proforma to all degree awarding institutions offering Ph.D. programs and intimate them to submit the completed proforma along with necessary documents within one-month period
Step 2.  Initial scrutiny of data at Ph.D. Review Secretariat (up to 1 week)
Quality Assurance Agency will initially scrutinize the data provided by the DAIs. This procedure will take up to one week after receipt of the required data.
Step 3.  DAI asked to clarify, if needed or to provide additional data (1-week time)
After the initial scrutiny, if it is found that some data is missing or incomplete; the same will be asked from the concerned DAI to provide within one week.
Step 4.  Selection of review panel from pool (2 weeks prior to the visit)
The Review panel will be selected from the existing pool of reviewers for the visit of concerned DAIs of the region. The same will be approved from the competent authorities before intimating to the DAI.
The review panel will be informed regarding the date of review visits for taking their final consent.
Step 5. The DAI is informed about its Ph.D. Review Visit (2 weeks prior to the visit)
Once the visit is finalized, the DAI will be informed about the visit along with review panel, schedule and other relevant details (if needed).

Step 6. Data provided to review teams (2 weeks prior to the visit)
The compiled data along with all necessary details will be provided to the review panel 2 weeks prior to the visit so that they can go through the data as per their requirements.
Step 7.  Visit of DAI (up to 2 days depending on departments)
The review panel will visit the DAI as per the given schedule. The duration of the review visit will be dependent upon

  • Number of departments in which Ph.D. is being offered.
  • Total number of Ph.D. enrolment.

The schedule of the visit will contain

  • Meeting with the Vice Chancellor/Head of the institution.
  • Meeting with the Deans/HoD of all the departments that are offering Ph.D. programs.
  • Separate meeting with each HoD/Dean along with prominent faculty members of the department.
  • Visit of each department to assess the adequate facilities required for Ph.D. program.
  • Wrap up meeting with Vice Chancellor/Representative of Vice Chancellor.

Step 8. Submission of initial report (within 1 week after visit)
After the completion of review visit, the review panel will submit the review report within one week of visit to the Ph.D. Review secretariat, QAA, HEC on the prescribed format. (Form C of Review Proforma)
Step 9.  Finalization of Draft Report (within 2 weeks after visit)
The Ph.D. review secretariat will scrutinize the report and if needed the clarification/comments will be taken from the review panel. The review report will be finalized within two weeks of visit.
Step 10. Draft report sent to Head of the DAI for comments (2-weeks’ time for response)

The DRAFT Report will be sent to the Vice Chancellor/ Head of the DAI for comments, the DAI will be given 2-weeks’ time period to submit the comments.
Step 11. Submission to Competent Authority for approval (after 2 weeks of visit)
After incorporating the comments of the DAI, if any, the finalized report will be submitted to competent authorities of HEC for their approval. If there are some suggestions/clarification required, the same will be seek from review panel/Ph.D. review secretariat as per the requirement.
Step 12. Final Report with recommendation Conveyed to the DAI (within 1 month of visit)
The DAI will be informed by QAA HEC regarding the recommendations/ suggestions (if any).
SOP for PhD Review

  • The AQEC department will facilitate department during PhD HEC Review process.
  • The department will provide the hard and soft copy of required information to AQEC department on HEC required Performa after confirmation with examination department signed by Chairperson and Dean of the department.
  • QEC department will submit the required information to HEC
  • During the visit the Director AQEC and its team will facilitate the process.
  • AQEC will coordinate with HEC officials.