Islamabad - Reformation and upgradation of education systems in the world is a constant endeavor of countries to improve the quality of their educational institutions. The Bologna Process (1999-2010) developed and implemented an overarching structure to serve as a catalyst for basic and higher educational reforms in Europe.

Since the process has been adopted by over 100 countries to reform their education systems, many countries have developed their National Quali?cations Frameworks to cover the full spectrum of education, which includes basic education, secondary education, technical and vocational education and tertiary education including the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the 2010 Prague Declaration of the European Ministers of Education, one of the aims was to mutually recognise the undergraduate and graduate degrees offered by recognised universities. This was also aimed at improving the quality of teaching and applying a comparative system of standardised and outcome based qualificationa across countries.

Using the Bologna principles to bring about qualitative forms in higher education, Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan has also developed National Qualifications Framework (NQF) with an aim to help learners to make informed decisions about their qualification. NQF will not only help establishing national standards of qualifications but will also be of great assistance to employers while assessing qualification of a candidate. It will provide a basis for comparison of qualification at national and international levels in addition to facilitation of trans-national mobility and employability of graduates and learners.

It will also be a viable means of building linkages between prospective employers in industry and education system as well as an instrument for qualitative reforms in education system. It provides clearly defined levels of knowledge, skills and competencies to be acquired by each graduate. The levels are easy to comprehend by students, employers and human resource development policy makers.

At the onset of work on the frameworkin2009, HEC took necessary steps to develop tools for implementing the standardised framework at a national level in all the HEC-recognised public and private institutions. The tools included development and implementation of uniform semester based examination system, formation of National Curriculum Review Committees, development of assessment and grading policies and policies related to admission, retention, and graduation of students from undergraduate to graduate programmes. The main focus is the introduction of the three-cycle system (Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate), strengthened quality assurance and facilitation of easier recognition of qualifications and required periods of study.

While heading towards universally recognized undergraduate degree programmes of eight semesters (124-140credithours), the framework incorporates four semesters and 68-72 credit hours Associate Degree programmes which open the doors to initial level of employment bringing opportunity to complete the four-year degree programme. As compared to the previously offered qualifications, the new HEC framework has outlined the admission, retention and graduation requirements for graduate programmes including significant innovative, applied and abstract research component. It connects universities to become engines of social, economic and human resource development in order to create a world-class critical mass of specialists in natural, social, applied sciences and professions. Professional Quali?cations Register is also a part of NQF which provides all the information regarding the accredited higher education qualifications offered by institutions recognised by HEC as degree awarding institutions.

Each accredited qualification offered in Pakistan has been assigned a level. NQF has eight levels that are based on the generic nomenclature used for the qualifications in the country. A qualification must be assigned to one of the eight levels. The framework does not describe qualifications at the same level as being equal and qualifications at the same level are not interchangeable, however, they are at a comparable level in terms of knowledge, skills or competence required to be demonstrably completed.

It is indeed an undeniable fact that a strong qualification structure produces highly professional human capital which contributes to a country’s progress and prosperity. The HEC-approved National Qualifications Framework will certainly play its part in bringing the country’s qualifications at par with the educational systems of the developed world.

–The writer is Director General (Academics) Higher Education Commission, Pakistan

muhammad raza chohan