Press Releases

Press Release 3

(April 03, 2008)

NAEAC to Play Significant Role to Improve the Quality of Agriculture Education in Pakistan

Dr. M.E Tusneem, Chairman, National Agriculture Education Accreditation Council (NAEAC) on Wednesday said that HEC as per its Ordinance has established the "National Agriculture Education Accreditation Council" having representation of experts from Academia, research institutions, leading industries and R&D institutions in public and private sectors.

He asserted that, the primary objective of the accreditation council is to improve the standard and quality of education of the agriculture disciplines. NAEAC is in processing of developing a system to assess the quality and standards of the agriculture education in the Agriculture Universities/Colleges of the country and that Council will give accreditation to only those degree awarding academic programs which meet the threshold criteria set by Council/HEC.

The NAEAC is mandated to; administer the accreditation process based on the approved policies, procedures and criteria; approve a list of evaluators, and constitute accreditation inspection committee (AIC) of evaluators headed by chairperson for the accreditation of agriculture education programs; collect, compile and develop a database of statistics on accredited programs of higher education of agriculture; publish pertinent information besides ranking/rating of agriculture qualification programs. The chair reiterated that the main objective of the Second Meeting is to standardize the formats, procedures and criteria to proceed with the Accreditation process.

The Members of the Council were requested to give their valuable suggestions and contribute to standardize the Accreditation procedures. He hoped that with the collective wisdom of the house, the house will be able to finalize these documents and forms.


Press Release 2

(October 25, 2007)

ISLAMABAD: Dr. M. E. Tusneem, Chairman, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council has underlined the need of developing leadership skills amongst the students to enable them meet the future challenges. He was addressing the first meeting dated 24 October, 2007 of the newly constituted National Agriculture Education Accreditation Council (NAEAC) here today.

The Council comprises of 22 members including the Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson. The membership is drawn from the faculties of agriculture universities, agricultural research institutions, provincial agriculture departments and leading agro-industries. NAEAC Secretariat is located in PARC with Dr. M.E. Tusneem, PARC Chairman, as its Chairperson and Mr. Naseer Alam Khan, as its Secretary.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Tusneem said that the composition of the Council having diverse group of expertise in different fields of agriculture was really impressive and was able to steer the Council towards its set objectives. Highlighting the aims and objectives of the National Agriculture Education Accreditation Council, Dr. Tusneem said that NAEAC strives to achieve the quality assurance and quality improvement of agriculture education degree awarding programs based on established standards, policies, procedures and criteria, having the following objectives:

• The council focuses on quality assurance as well as quality improvement for higher levels of learning and professional development of graduates for national and international comparison of set standards.

• Systematize and execute a comprehensive process of accreditation of the agriculture degree programs, through adopting transparent policies, procedures and criteria and assist and advise institutions in planning their academic programs.

• Support the intellectual development of students and faculty members interested in pursuing agriculture profession par excellence.

The NAEAC, he added, was mandated to; i) administer the accreditation process based on the approved policies, procedures and criteria; ii) approve a list of evaluators, and constitute accreditation inspection committee (AIC) of evaluators headed by chairperson for the accreditation of agriculture education programs; iii) collect, compile and develop a database of statistics on accredited programs of higher education of agriculture; and iv) publish pertinent information besides ranking/rating of agriculture qualification programs.
"Accreditation is now becoming a vital market force both internationally and nationally for the professional success of graduates," Dr. M. E. Tusneem said. He said the purpose of accreditation was to assess the capacity of institution in the form of academic and physical infrastructure in relation to the set targets. The Commission will award the scholarships and placements to the graduates of the accredited programmes. Moreover, the said accreditation will help to enhance the quality and recognition of respective degree programs.
He maintained that all agriculture degree programs fall under the purview of NAEAC including; Agronomy and Crop Physiology, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Agricultural Entomology, Plant Pathology, Forestry, Range Management and Wildlife, Horticulture, Soil and Environmental Science, Agricultural Economics, Marketing and Agribusiness, Food Science and Technology, Agricultural Education and Extension, Animal Science, Weed Science, Plant Protection and additional emerging disciplines and degree programs pertaining to the agriculture shall be added in this list in the future for example Agri. Bio-technology, etc.
On the occasion, Prof. Dr. Riaz Hussain Qureshi, Advisor Quality Assurances and Learning Initiatives, Higher Education Commission (HEC) giving an overview of the NAEAC Mission said that in recent years, the Higher Education Commission, Government of Pakistan has taken several initiatives to improve both access to and quality of higher education. The establishment of the Accreditation Councils was a major step towards improving the quality and bringing it at par with the international standards. "Accreditation is both about quality assurance and quality improvement," he said and added: "Accreditation process determines the minimum acceptable educational standard."
He said that HEC as per its ordinance established the "National Agriculture Education Accreditation Council (NAEAC)" in 2006 having representation of experts from agricultural universities and research institutions, leading industries and R&D institutions in public and private sectors.


Press Release 1

(October 24, 2007)


Improving the Quality Standards of Agriculture Education in Pakistan

In recent years, the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Government of Pakistan has taken several initiatives to improve both access to and quality of higher education. The establishment of the Accreditation Councils is a major step towards improving the quality and bringing it at par with the international standards. Accreditation is both about quality assurance and quality improvement. Accreditation process determines the minimum acceptable educational standard. The Higher Education Commission as per its ordinance established the “National Agriculture Education Accreditation Council (NAEAC)” in 2006 having representation of experts from agricultural universities and research institutions, leading industries and R&D institutions in public and private sectors.
The National Agriculture Education Accreditation Council (NAEAC) strives to achieve the quality assurance and quality improvement of agriculture education degree awarding programs based on established standards, policies, procedures and criteria. It has the following objectives:
The council focuses on quality assurance as well as quality improvement for higher levels of learning and professional development of graduates for national and international comparison of set standards.
Systematize and execute a comprehensive process of accreditation of the agriculture degree programs, through adopting transparent policies, procedures and criteria and assist and advise institutions in planning their academic programs. Support the intellectual development of students and faculty members interested in pursuing agriculture profession par excellence

The Council comprises of 22 members including the Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson. The membership is drawn from the faculties of agriculture, agricultural research institutions, provincial agriculture departments and leading agro-industries. NAEAC Secretariat is located in PARC with Dr. M.E. Tusneem, PARC Chairman, as its Chairperson and Mr. Naseer Alam Khan, as its Secretary.
The NAEAC is mandated to (i) administer the accreditation process based on the approved policies, procedures and criteria; (ii) approve a list of evaluators, and constitute accreditation inspection committee (AIC) of evaluators headed by chairperson for the accreditation of agriculture education programs; (iii) collect, compile and develop a database of statistics on accredited programs of higher education of agriculture; and (iv) publish pertinent information besides ranking/rating of agriculture qualification programs.
All agriculture degree programs fall under the purview of NAEAC including; Agronomy and Crop Physiology, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Agricultural Entomology, Plant Pathology, Forestry, Range Management and Wildlife, Horticulture, Soil and Environmental Science, Agricultural Economics, Marketing and Agribusiness, Food Science and Technology, Agricultural Education and Extension, Animal Science, Weed Science, Plant Protection and additional emerging disciplines and degree programs pertaining to the agriculture shall be added in this list in the future for example Agri. Bio-technology, etc.
Accreditation is now becoming a vital market force both internationally and nationally for the professional success of graduates. The purpose of accreditation is to assess the capacity of institution in the form of academic and physical infrastructure in relation to the set targets. The Commission will award the scholarships and placements to the graduates of the accredited programmes. Moreover, the said accreditation will help to enhance the quality and recognition of respective degree programs.