IMPACT OF QUALITY ENHANCEMENT CELL (QEC) PRACTICES ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC) practices on academic performance in private universities in Pakistan. Employing a quantitative research design, data were collected from 250 faculty members across ten Higher Education Commission (HEC)–recognized private universities. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to examine the hypothesized relationships between QEC practices and academic performance. The results reveal that QEC practices—specifically quality assurance mechanisms, curriculum review, faculty evaluation, and feedback management—exert a significant positive influence on key academic performance indicators, including teaching quality, research productivity, and student satisfaction. Among these dimensions, feedback and improvement mechanisms emerged as the strongest predictor of academic performance. The findings underscore the importance of embedding internal quality assurance processes to foster continuous improvement and enhance academic excellence in higher education institutions. The study contributes to the literature on higher education quality management in developing countries by integrating Total Quality Management (TQM) and Institutional Theory as guiding frameworks. Practical policy implications are proposed to strengthen QEC autonomy, capacity building, and data-driven decision making to enhance institutional effectiveness and sustain quality culture within private universities.