ULAB Inaugurates IQAC, Holds Inception Workshop
Dhaka (September 5, 2016)—In a bid to further develop its overall quality of education, the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) inaugurated its Institutional Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) on Monday, September 5. It also held the inception workshop on Quality Assurance in Higher Education on the same day at the ULAB Auditorium in Dhanmondi. University Grants Commission (UGC) Chair Professor Abdul Mannan graced the occasion as the Chief Guest while Professor Dr. Mesbahuddin Ahmed, Head, Quality Assurance Unit, UGC; Quality Assurance Specialist of UGC Professor Dr. M. Abul Kashem; and Professor Dr. Sanjoy Kumar Adhikary were present as Guests of Honor and Keynote Speakers. ULAB Vice Chancellor Professor Imran Rahman delivered the welcome address while ULAB IQAC Director Professor Jude William Genilo narrated the milestones achieved so far in quality assurance work at the university.
As the name suggests, the IQAC will work on further improving the overall quality education system of the university. Its Quality Objectives include: developing and applying quality benchmarks and parameters for various academic and administrative activities of the institution, gathering feedback from students, alumni, employers and other stakeholders on quality-related institutional processes, disseminating information on various quality parameters of higher education, organising institutional workshops, seminars on quality-related themes and maintaining an institutional database for the purpose of maintaining and enhancing institutional quality.
Professor Mannan, who gave the keynote speech emphasised on the importance of developing cells such as these in universities. “It’s absolutely necessary to have a good quality education and at the same time you also need a good library, a classroom, a good work environment. You also have to notice things like if the basins are clean, are you dressed properly for class. All these things are very much part of quality and the UGC is working on this project,” he said. He further explained that the government supports universities that plan to form such cells. “I hope that this is a continuous process and it’s something that ULAB owns and works on. We are providing ULAB with a little bit of support. In the coming days, ULAB will invest its own money in this. I hope it continues,” he added.
Furthermore, he spoke on the importance of vocational studies and how a good quality environment can help guide students in the right path.
Following the keynote speech, Dr Mesbahuddin spoke on ‘Promoting Quality Assurance Practice in Bangladesh. That was followed by Dr M Abul Kashem speaking on the Skills, Knowledge and Attitudes of University Graduates. And finally, Dr Sanjoy Kumar Adhikary spoke towards the end on the Guidelines in Self Assesment at the Program Level.
The IQAC website (http://www.ulab.edu.bd/iqac/) was also inaugurated during the programme.
Later, UGC- Quality Assurance Unit led by professor Dr. Mesbahuddin Ahmed, Head, Quality Assurance Unit,UGC and ULAB Member of Board of Trustees Ms. Juditha Ohlmacher inaugurated the ULAB Institutional Quality Assurance Cell, including its physical facilities.