PQR Information
Information Available on the Register
The following information is publicly available on the Register:
Name & Title of Qualification
The Register contains the Name & Title of Qualification which is consistent with the criteria for the use of Title and Nomenclature. It will help in reducing the confusion caused by the use of different nomenclature for similar degrees and the use of similar nomenclature for degrees that are actually quite different in duration and scope.
Qualification Levels and Program Titles
The Register has eight levels based on the generic nomenclature used for the qualification 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.
Learning Outcomes
Each qualification level contains an outcomes statement that brings clarity to, and emphasizes, the development of the qualification. The development of outcomes for a qualification guides the development of course content and the processes for teaching, learning and assessment. A qualification outcome statement informs students and employers of what the qualification holder will have achieved by the end of the qualification, and conveys to every employer what a job applicant knows.
Credit Hours
- Credit hour means teaching a theory course for 50 minutes each week throughout the Semester.
- One credit hour in laboratory or practical work / project requires lab contact of two hours per week throughout the semester.
- Credit hours are denoted by two digits within brackets with a hyphen in between. The first digit represents the theory part, while the second (right side) digit represents the practical.
- Thus 3(3-0) means three credit hours of theory, while 4(3-1) means a total of four credit hours, of which three are theory while one credit hour is for laboratory.
- The weekly contact hours of a 3(3-0) course will be three; the contact hours of a 4(3-1) course will be six.
- The contact hours during each week of the Summer Session will be doubled to ensure that the course is completely taught in a semester, in half the duration compared with a regular (Fall/Spring) semester.
Subject Classification
The Higher Education Commission has adopted the subject list of the joint Academic Classifications of Subjects (JACS) developed by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), with certain amendments to match the national context. It enlists the major disciplines and sub-fields, and helps standardize subject nomenclature while categorizing each subject into its relevant major discipline.
Quality Assurance Mechanism
There are two types of accreditation carried out in most parts of the world, i.e., Institutional and Program accreditation. Institutional Accreditation looks at the whole institution, whereas program accreditation emphasizes individual and professional programs. In Pakistan, Institutional accreditation is carried out by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), while program accreditation is carried out by the Accreditation Councils.
Following are the existing accreditation councils / professional bodies which accredit the respective programs:
- Pakistan Bar Council (PBC)
- Pakistan Council for Architects and Town Planners (PCATP)
- Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC)
- Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC)
- Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC)
- Pakistan Pharmacy Council (PCP)
- Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council (PVMC)
- National Council for Homoeopathy (NCH)
- National Council for Tibb (NCT)
- National Accreditation Council for Teachers Education (NACTE)
- National Agricultural Education Accreditation Council (NAEAC)
- National Computing Education Accreditation Council (NCEAC)
- National Business Education Accreditation Council (NBEAC)
Reference: Higher Education Commission, Pakistan, The Pakistan Qualification Register (PQR), PQR Information. hec.gov.pk/english/services/universities/pqr/Pages/PQR-information.aspx