Pakistan Qualification 
                                                                                                                            
                             Framework 
     
     
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                     
                                                          Higher Education commission 
                                                              Islamabad Pakistan 
                                                                                                                            
                  
                  
                  
                 Introduction: 
                 The Pakistan Qualification Framework is considered as mechanism for classification of the qualifications 
                 on the basis of the learning outcomes i.e. skill, competence, knowledge. It is levels based and outcomes 
                 focus. It set out the levels on which a qualification can be recognized in Pakistan. Pakistan Qualification 
                 Framework (PQF) encompasses a comprehensive list of all quality assured qualifications in Pakistan. 
                 Each accredited qualification offered in Pakistan has been assigned a level. The PQF consist of Entry 
                 level  to  level  8,  describing  the  difficulty  of  qualifications  at  each  level.  The  Pakistan Qualification 
                 Register is also the part of PQF which provides all the information regarding the accredited 
                 higher  qualifications  and  institutions  recognized  by  the  Higher  Education  Commission  of 
                 Pakistan. 
                 Objectives of the PQF   
                        Helps learners to make the informed decision about the qualification required. 
                        Helps the employers to assess what a qualification candidate has. 
                        Helps in establishing  the national standards of qualifications 
                        Provide a base for the comparison of qualifications at national as well as international level 
                        Helps in international recognition of qualifications 
                        Facilitates the trans-national mobility of graduates and learners  
                        Used as an instrument for reforms in education system 
                        Helps to promote the linkages between industry and education system 
                              
                             The Qualification Framework for Higher 
                             Education 
                                 The framework for Higher Education Qualification in Pakistan is developed and 
                 published by Higher Education Commission (HEC). It describes the levels of achievements and features 
                 of higher education qualifications. It covers academic qualifications from level 5 to level 8. 
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              Levels and Program Titles 
                     The Register has eight levels are based on the Generic nomenclature used for the qualification in 
              the  country.  A  qualification  must  be  assigned  to  one  of  the  eight  levels.  The  Framework  does  not 
              describe  qualifications  at  the  same  level  as  being  equal  and  qualifications  at  the  same  level  are  not 
              interchangeable, however, they are at a comparable level in terms of knowledge, skills or competence 
              required 
                         
                                                                     
                         Years    Levels        Award Type                  Award Example 
                           21 
                           20       8             Doctoral                        PhD  
                    ls     19 
                    eve                                               M.Phil./MS/MBA, M.Sc. (Eng.), 
                     L     18                                                     M.E,  
                    ion             7             Masters 
                           17                                               March, M.Tech etc 
                     Educat16                                        BS, B.E, B.Arch., BSc (Eng.), BSc 
                    er              6             Bachelor            (Agri), MA/MSc (16 year), LLB, 
                    igh    15                                          B.Com (Hons, MBBS, DVM, 
                    H                                                   PharmD, B.Tech (Hons) etc  
                           14       5            Associate                                          BA/BSc (P                                           ass), ADE,                                                        
                           13                Ordinary Bachelor      Associate Degrees, B.Tech (Pass) etc 
                   e                                                 
                           12 
                   ediatl                 Higher Secondary School   F.A, F.Sc, ICS, I.Com, DBA, D.Com 
                   m eve            4        Certificate (HSSC)                    etc 
                   erL     11 
                   nt
                   I
                                                                                     
                   ion     10 
                     l                        Secondary School                                                              
                   iculateve        3         Certificate (SSC)                  Matric 
                   atrL    9 
                   M
                                                                     
                                    2                           Middle (3 Years) 
                         
                                                                     
                                    1                          Primary (1-5 Years) 
                         
                         
               
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                      Levels and 1Learning outcomes of Higher Education  
                      Qualification   Associate Degree                                  Ordinary Bachelor                              Bachelor Degree 
                      Level                 5                                           5                                              6 
                      Purpose               The  Associate  Degree  qualifies           The     Bachelor      Degree       qualifies   The       Bachelor       Honours 
                                            individual who apply underpinning           individual  who  applies  broad  and           Degree  qualifies       individual 
                                            technical        and         theoretical    coherent body of knowledge in a range          who apply body of knowledge 
                                            knowledge in arrange of contexts            of contexts to undertake professional          in   a    specific   context     to 
                                            to  undertake  advanced  skilled  or        work  and  as  a  pathway  for  further        undertake  professional  work 
                                            paraprofessional  work  and  as  a          learning.                                      and as a pathway for research 
                                            pathway to further learning.                                                               further learning.  
                      Knowledge             Graduate  of  Advanced  Diploma  Graduate of Bachelor Degree will have                     Graduate         of      Bachelor 
                                            will have specialized and integrated        a   broad  and  coherent  body  ok  Honours  Degree  will  have 
                                            technical        and         theoretical    knowledge,      with    depth      in   the    coherent       and      advanced 
                                            knowledge with depth within one  underlying principles and concepts in                     knowledge       of     underlying 
                                            or  more  fields  of  work  and  one or more disciplines as a basis for                    principles and concepts in one 
                                            learning                                    independent lifelong learning.                 or    more      disciplines    and 
                                                                                                                                       knowledge  of  research  and 
                                                                                                                                       principles and methods 
                      Skills                "Graduates of an Associate Degree           "Graduate  of  Bachelor  Degree  will          Graduate  of  Bachelor  Honours 
                                                       will have:                       have:                                          Degree will have: 
                                                                                                                                       •  Cognitive  skills  to  review, 
                                            •   Cognitive  skills  to  identify,        •  Cognitive  skills  to  review  critically,  analyze, consolidate and  synthesis 
                                               analyze,  synthesis  and  evaluate       analyze,  consolidate  and    synthesis        knowledge to identify and provide 
                                               information and concept from a           knowledge                                      solutions  to  complex  problem 
                                               range of sources                              Cognitive  and  technical  skills  to     with intellectual independence 
                                            • Cognitive, technical and creative         demonstrate a broad understanding of 
                                             thinking  skills  to  demonstrate  a       knowledge with depth in some areas             • Cognitive and technical skills to 
                                                                                                                                       demonstrate         a        broad 
                                             broad         understanding          of    •    Cognitive  and  creative  skills  to      understanding  of  a  body  of 
                                             knowledge  and  ideas  with  some          exercise critical thinking and judgment        knowledge       and     theoretical 
                                             depth in a discipline                      in  identifying  and  solving  problems        concepts       with      advanced 
                                            •  Cognitive,  communication  and           with intellectual independence                 understanding in some areas 
                                            analytical  skills  to  interpret  and      •  Communication skill to represent   a        •  Cognitive  skills  to  exercise 
                                            transmit  responses  to  sometimes          clear,   coherent     and     independent      critical  thinking  and  judgment  in 
                                            complex problems                            exposition of knowledge and ideas              developing  new  understanding  • 
                                                                                                                                       Technical skills to design and use 
                                            • Communication skills to make a                                                           research in a project 
                                            clear and coherent presentation of                                                         •    Communication       skill   to 
                                            knowledge  and  ideas  with  some                                                          represent  a  clear  and  coherent 
                                            intellectual independence                                                                  exposition  of  knowledge  and 
                                                                                                                                       ideas to a variety of audiences. 
                      Application           "Graduates of an Associate Degree  "Graduate  of  Bachelor  Degree  will                   Graduate         of     Bachelor 
                      of                    will demonstrate the application of         demonstrate       the    application     of    Honours         Degree         will 
                      knowledge             knowledge and skills:                       knowledge and skills:                          demonstrate the application 
                      and skills            •  With  initiative  and  judgment  in     •  With  initiative  and  judgment  in          of  Knowledge  and  skills: 
                                            planning,  problem  solving  and            planning,     problem       solving     and    • With initiative and judgment 
                                            decision            making            in    decision    making      in    professional     in     professional       practice 
                                            paraprofessional practice                   practice and/or scholarship                    and/or                scholarship 
                                            • To adapt knowledge and skills in  •    To  adapt  knowledge  and  skills  in             •  To  adapt  knowledge  and 
                                            a  range  of  contexts  and/or  for                   diverse contexts                     skills   in   diverse    contexts 
                                            further    studies  in  one  or  more                •   With  responsibility       and    •   With  responsibility       and 
                                            disciplines                                 accountability  for  own  learning  and        accountability       for      own 
                                            • To adapt fundamental principles           professional     practice     and         in   learning  and  practice  and  in 
                                            and  techniques  to  known  and  collaboration with others within broad                    collaboration      with     others 
                                            unknown situations                          parameters                                     within      broad      parameters 
                                            •        with     responsibility    and                                                    • To plan and execute project 
                                            accountability  for  own  learning                                                         work  and/or  a  piece  of 
                                            and  work  and  in  collaborations                                                         research and scholarship with 
                                            with      others      within      broad                                                    some independence  
                                            parameters                                                                                  
                       
                                                                                                                    
            1.  Australian Qualifications Framework 
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