Governance & Quality assurance

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INNOVATIVE AND COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS FOR IQA SYSTEMS

In order to make internal quality assurance (IQA) systems work sustainably for the enhancement of the quality and relevance of higher education services, it is necessary to identify innovative and cost-effective solutions so that much needed financial and human resources are not drawn away from academic core processes (teaching and research). It is also necessary to find solutions to IQA systems that can successfully function in a developing country context where human and financial resources are scarce and where quantitative data and evaluation results may not be easily generated.

IIEP launched in 2014 an international research project to generate knowledge to provide evidence-based policy advice to national and institutional higher education leaders on existing innovative and cost-effective solutions for IQA systems in universities.

This work, along with an international survey, helped inform the publication Quality Assurance: Enhancing higher education quality and graduate employability. This synthesis provides useful guidance for national and institutional policy-makers and quality assurance officials.

Explore the case studies from these eight universities:

Bangladesh: American International University, The Effects of internal quality assurance on quality and employability
Germany: University of Duisburg-Essen, From tools to an internal quality assurance system
Chile: University of Talca, Mainstreaming internal quality assurance with management
Kenya: Daystar University, Shaping internal quality assurance from a triple heritage
South Africa: University of the Free State, Integrating internal quality assurance at a time of transformation
China: Xiamen University, Enhancing teaching and learning through internal quality assurance
Bahrain: University of Bahrain, From externaly to internally driven quality assurance
Austria: Vienna University of Economics and Business, Developing a quality culture through internal quality assurance

The research has focused on universities that can provide elements in their policies, structures and processes for IQA that demonstrate a degree of innovativeness or good principles. To find out more, about these universities, please take a look at the following articles:

Part 1: How does internal quality assurance impact employability in Bangladesh and Kenya?

Part 2: Internal quality assurance in Bahrain and Germany

Part 3: Communication key to creating a culture of quality in higher education in China and Austria

Part 4: Integrating internal quality assurance in Chile and South Africa

INTERNATIONAL SURVEY ON QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION

To be able to capture the current state of developments and identify external drivers and internal factors in quality management (QM) internationally, IIEP-UNESCO, in collaboration with the International Association of Universities (IAU), conducted a worldwide trilingual online survey during November and December 2015.

Read the publication here.

The survey is the first international study conducted on the topic and thus fills a clear knowledge gap in mapping structures, processes and tools used in the quality management of higher education institutions. The information was collected to formulate policy advice to institutional and national higher education policy-makers on possible ways to enhance the development of QM in higher education institutions. The survey generated over 300 responses that were analyzed at both global and regional levels. The results of this analysis showed that QM is present in a majority of the responding institutions and that it focusses largely on teaching and learning.

FOUR POLICY BRIEFS ON IQA

Building on the case studies and international survey, IIEP published four Policy Briefs for policy-makers and higher education officials in charge of academic quality. Users can draw from four themes on how to develop and implement more effective and innovative IQA systems for improved quality, employability, and management. See more on the Policy Briefs here.

POLICY FORUM ON QUALITY AND EMPLOYABILITY: HOW CAN IQA CONTRIBUTE

IIEP-UNESCO, Xiamen University and the Chinese Higher Education Evaluation Center (HEEC) joined together to organise the 2016 IIEP Policy Forum on “Higher education quality and employability: How can internal quality assurance contribute?” With support from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD/DIES) and the Chinese Higher Education Quality Construction Fund, the event took place at China’s University of Xiamen from 9 to 11 June 2016.

The event brought together some 180 Chinese and international participants from 25 countries to discuss ways to make internal quality assurance effective for the enhancement of quality, employability and managerial effectiveness in higher education institutions worldwide.

Read a synthesis from the event here.

Four keynote presentations have also been reproduced and published in the book Quality and employability in Higher Education: Viewing Internal Quality Assurance as a Lever for Change.