LAHORE: The University of Health Sciences (UHS) has introduced an academic quality assurance and institutional ranking system for all affiliated medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy and allied health sciences institutions.

Under the new framework, the colleges will be subjected to regular academic audits, curriculum compliance reviews and performance evaluations, while an annual ranking system will assess institutions on teaching quality, assessment standards, clinical training, faculty development, research output and student support services.

Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Ahsan Waheed Rathore said the initiative was taken to improve the quality of health education in Punjab.

He said that it would establish a culture of accountability and continuous improvement across the province’s health sciences institutions.

“Quality medical education cannot be ensured through examinations alone. Continuous monitoring of curriculum implementation and learning outcomes is essential for producing competent healthcare professionals,” he said.

The university has designated its department of medical education as the central authority for academic quality assurance and curriculum oversight. A real-time academic performance dashboard will also be developed to monitor key indicators across institutions.

Prof Rathore said the ranking system would encourage healthy competition among institutions and help identify areas requiring improvement.

“Our objective is not merely to identify deficiencies but to support institutions in achieving excellence through evidence-based academic governance and regular quality assurance mechanisms,” he added.

Institutions demonstrating outstanding performance may receive recognition and priority in academic collaborations, research initiatives and faculty development programmes, while those with persistent deficiencies will face enhanced monitoring and corrective action measures.

The policy has come into force with immediate effect and will apply to all constituent and affiliated institutions of UHS across Punjab.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2026