CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES IN INSTITUTIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE: INSIGHTS FROM ISLAMABAD'S UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

In Pakistan, every university has a quality assurance directorate that works with quality enhancement cells (QECs) to ensure that the institution is meeting its quality goals and following its internal quality assurance rules. When opposed to quality assurance that is driven from the outside, systems that are established at the institutional level and are based on a strong quality culture are more likely to improve the quality of learning experiences and academic results. The purpose of this study was to examine the present state of institutional quality assurance practices in both public and private universities in Islamabad, Pakistan, taking into account the significance of these activities. This research set out to do two things:(1) examine the state of institutional quality assurance at public and private universities, and(2) compare the two sets of practices. The study's sample included 356 students chosen at random from a stratified random sample and 58 faculty members chosen using the universal sampling approach. The purpose of this study was to
compare public and private universities' institutional quality assurance processes by utilising descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and inferential statistics (independent sample ttest). Students and teachers in both groups had similar opinions on the quality assurance methods used by the Higher Education Commission's quality assurance organisation, according to the
study's results. Based on the study's findings, both public and private universities continue to prioritise academic quality, programme evaluations for quality improvement, research development activities, and service quality as part of their institutional quality assurance practices. However, they face similar challenges when it comes to institutional facilities, including a lack of adequate classrooms, transportation options, and scholarship opportunities. According to the study's findings, the Higher Education Commission and the Quality Assurance Agency should consider enhancing both academic quality and institutional infrastructure. In order to improve the
quality of institutions, the Further Quality Assurance Agency might create a systematic and efficient institutional quality assurance plan.