IMPROVING RESEARCH CULTURE SYSTEM THROUGH QUALITY ASSURANCE PRACTICES IN THE UNIVERSITIES OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

The explanation of this research was to investigate about improving research culture system through Quality Assurance Practices (QAP) in the Universities of Pakistan pertaining to the views of students, teachers and Directors of Quality Enhancement Cells’ (QEC’s) and to differentiate the ideas of students, teachers and Directors of QECs regarding research culture system as well as offer quality assurance practices in the universities of Pakistan. This study had a quantitative and qualitative research design. This study was conducted on a sample of 28 universities (public and private sector) of Pakistan by using multi- stage sampling techniques. Questionnaires and semi structured interviews were intended to congregate information from students, teachers and Directors of QECs related to research culture system about quality assurance practices in the universities of Pakistan. The data was analyzed by using descriptive, inferential statistics and SPSS. The study showing that students, teachers and Directors of QECs faced a lot of problems without research culture system in higher education. On the bases of data analysis, key findings of the study were derived; majority of the teachers, students and Directors opined that seminars, which was conducted in most of the universities to disseminate the results of different researches and views of different experts, workshops, follow up systems after training, research projects, teachers’ participation in seminars, collaboration with other departments and publication of articles were being carried out among universities to enhance the research culture system. Lack of physical facilities, no training for faculty, provision of funds, research journals, communication system and feedback system were major problems faced by the Quality Assurance Practices in the universities. Following suggestions can be accelerated to enhance Quality Assurance Practices in the universities; new edition of books, provision of sufficient resources, addition of latest software, provision of modern professional development skills for academic staff, feedback system and provision of latest research journals.