HEC’s Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) successfully conducted a RIPE review at Capital University of Science & Technology (CUST), Islamabad, from 2–4 February 2026 under the Pakistan Precepts Standards and Guidelines (PSG-2023) framework. The exercise formed part of the External Quality Assurance (EQA) pilot that follows institutions’ Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) preparations.
Under the leadership of DG Quality Assurance Mr. Nasir Shah, the EQA pilot visit was led by Dr. Najam-ul-Islam, Rector of Namal University, supported by a panel of experienced academicians. From QAA, the review team included Mr. Irfan Ullah, Director QAA, and Mr. Muhammad Raza, Deputy Director, who worked together to evaluate institutional processes and outcomes.
The review team engaged extensively with students and faculty through interactive sessions to gather first-hand perspectives on academic quality, teaching practices, and student support services. These conversations were complemented by visits to multiple departments, laboratories, and campus facilities to observe infrastructure, research initiatives, and the overall learning environment.
Observations from campus tours and stakeholder meetings were used to assess institutional effectiveness and the university’s commitment to a student-centric approach to quality enhancement. The RIPE review emphasised how internal systems and external verification together strengthen continuous quality improvement across institutional functions.
RIPE operates across 16 standards designed to reinforce strategic planning, academic quality, and institutional development. By applying these standards, the review aims to align local higher education practices with internationally recognised quality benchmarks while promoting a culture of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in Pakistani universities.
The successful conduct of this RIPE review at CUST signals HEC QAA’s ongoing effort to refine external assurance mechanisms under the EQA pilot initiative and to support universities in advancing their quality assurance frameworks in line with PSG-2023.
