by: Abdul Rahim Khan Ghouri
Karachi: Currently, more than 60 institutions and universities in Pakistan are providing education related to Nutrition and Food Sciences, which needs prior approval from the National Agriculture Education and Accreditation Council (NAEAC). Since its inception in 2008, NAEAC has registered more than 289 programs and deferred around 51 programs. These views were expressed by the Chairperson NAEAC, Prof. Dr. Ishtiaq Rajwana, in an awareness seminar held at Iqra University, North Campus.
He described in detail the functionality of the Council. He claimed the uniqueness of the NAEAC in that it not only evaluates the programs but also supports and encourages the institutions to improve their educational standards. He also mentioned the criteria based on which the institutes are evaluated. The results decide the program’s fate, whether accredited or deferred.
Director Academics, Prof. Dr. Syed Ali Raza, also expressed his gratitude to the Chairperson of the Council, Prof. Dr. Ishtiaq Rajwana, and the delegation who accompanied him. He appreciated the procedures adopted by the Council to ensure best quality practices and the significance of their role in improving the teaching standards.
Furthermore, the director informed the audience that Iqra University has been ranked among the top universities in the world due to its high standards of education and research achievements. He briefed the members and the audience about the facilities offered in the Human Nutrition and Dietetics program. He stated that we have highly qualified faculty members, fully equipped and state-of-the-art laboratories, and a digital library, which will immensely benefit society in solving health issues related to nutritional problems.
He further assured the Council members that Iqra University’s management would take full advantage of their guidance and implement the identified standards more diligently. The seminar ended with a vote of thanks delivered by the Head of the Human Nutrition and Dietetics program, Dr. Tooba Mehfooz.
At the end of the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Syed Ali Raza presented the commemorative shields to Prof. Dr. Ishtiaq Rajwana, Prof. Dr. Amanullah Malik, and Dr. Abdulla Ghaffar. The members were then given a tour of the campus buildings and the facilities available for the faculty and students.
