The mandate of the Quality Assurance Directorate(QAD) is to coordinate the day-to-day quality assurance activities of the University as a central coordinating unit. The QAD has links to all academic units through the QCCs. The QAD shall be the secretariat of the QAC. The QAD shall organize all the meetings and keep records of the activities and resolutions of the QAC. It shall also be the conduit through which all matters related to QA shall be channeled and handled.
Historical Background
It is the policy of the University to provide quality teaching and learning, research, community engagement, academic support and administrative services in line with its vision, mission, goals, objectives and strategies.
The University recognises that, in order to accomplish its mission with extraordinary achievement and meet the vision of being among the top universities in Africa, quality in teaching and learning, research and dissemination, community service, property management, purchase and budget utilisation, student service, staff development and retention, information and communications technologies, library service, etc. are essential.
The University regards teaching, research, and community service as core functions and has developed explicit systems and procedures to ensure and enhance quality in these functions. Administration is a cross-cutting function and is an integral part of all three functions, but in the implementation of a quality assurance (QA) system, it has also be considered to stand alone in order that it is given special attention.
Quality in a University is multi-dimensional and embraces all its functions, and activities; teaching and academic programmes, research and scholarship, staffing, students, buildings, facilities, equipment, services to the community and the academic environment. Internal self-evaluation and external review, conducted openly by independent reviewers, if possible with international expertise, are vital for enhancing quality.
To develop, implement, maintain and improve the level of quality, the University has established a functional quality assurance system. Quality assurance in higher education requires systematic management and assessment procedures to monitor performance of the University.
The University of Zambia Quality Assurance Framework forms the basis for the promotion of quality in the University. This will be through greater focus on performance, curricula reforms, better human resource management, schemes to promote high quality research and community service, and technology-assisted monitoring mechanisms.
