Workshop on Internal Quality Assurance Framework

In a significant effort to boost the quality culture in universities across Sindh, the Sindh Higher Education Commission (Sindh HEC) held a detailed training session on Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) Framework. The full-day workshop took place at Salim Habib University on Thursday 29th May, and brought together nearly 100 participants, including senior faculty members and quality assurance professionals from public and private sector universities throughout the province.

The session was led by Dr. Muhammad Abdul Wahid Usmani, Head of the Quality Enhancement Cell at Jinnah Sindh Medical University and an international quality assurance expert. Drawing from his vast experience, Dr. Usmani walked the participants through the key aspects of setting up and strengthening internal quality systems in higher education institutions. He also shared examples from global standards, such as the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG), to help universities better align their practices with international benchmarks.

During his presentation, Dr. Usmani stressed that quality assurance is not just about ticking boxes to meet external requirements — it’s about building a culture of continuous improvement within institutions. He encouraged universities to move beyond individual-driven efforts and adopt system-level strategies that ensure transparency, effectiveness, and long-term sustainability.

The workshop explored several important areas, including how to develop internal quality policies, review and design curricula, track students’ academic journeys, evaluate teaching methods, and gather structured feedback. The importance of sharing institutional performance openly and maintaining a consistent cycle of improvement was also highlighted.

To make the session more practical and engaging, participants took part in group activities where they developed draft standards tailored to their own universities. These exercises set the stage for future sessions that Sindh HEC plans to conduct as part of its ongoing quality assurance development programme.

At the end of the training, certificates were distributed among the participants. Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Abdul Wahid Usmani appreciated the Chairperson Sindh HEC and Secretary Sindh HEC. “Dr. Tariq Rafi and Mr. Moinuddin Siddiqui have been doing tremendous job at Sindh HEC, it is their leadership that Quality Assurance mechanism is not only being taken seriously, but practical measures are also being taken to uplift higher education and bring excellence in quality of education,” he said.

By organizing such initiatives, Sindh HEC continues to reaffirm its commitment to helping universities across Sindh strengthen their internal systems and align with best practices from around the world.