A quality assurance system will be very useful to various stakeholders of TVET institutions comprised of students, parents, employers and national and international funding agencies. Thus, there is a pressing need to train senior academicians and administrators of TVET institutions on the systems and processes used for accreditation and certification as quality assurance mechanisms.

In view of this, the Colombo Plan Staff College for Technician Education (CPSC) in cooperation with the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NVTTC), Gov’t of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan organized an In-Country Program on Accreditation and Certification of TVET at the National Institute of Science and Technical Education (NISTE), Islamabad, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, from 25-29 June 2012.

The program was designed to provide participants with knowledge and skills on the following areas and topics: Regional Accreditation and Certification: A Response to Global Trends; Concepts and Philosophies of Accreditation; National Accreditation and Certification System in Pakistan; Accreditation criteria, Indicators and their Interpretation; Applying Accreditation Criteria; Alternative Approaches for TVET Quality and Excellence; Achieving Sustainability in TVET through Quality Assurance.

Program Organizers composed of Dr. Mohammad Naim Yaakub, CPSC Director General, Mr. Tariq Shafi Chak, Executive Director, NAVTTC, who both acted as Program Supervisors, Dr. Hazrat Hussain, CPSC Faculty Consultant and Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad Director General, NAVTTC who served as Program Coordinator and Local Coordinator, respectively, ensured smooth implementation of the program.

Dr. Hussain and Dr. Pramod Shresta, Coordinator, AIT – NEF/CCN Nepal Project and Former CPSC Faculty Consultant were included in the roster of Resource Persons and shared their insights on the importance of accreditation and certification of TVET programs and institutions to respond to the national, regional, and global labor market; various steps leading to processes of accreditation and its evaluation procedures for certification; issues and intervention areas in accreditation and certification of TVET programs and institutions; and preparing an action plan for accreditation of TVET institutions.