EVOLVING ACADEMIC CULTURE IN THE NEW NORMAL: DIRECTION TOWARDS QUALITY MANAGEMENT, EFFECTIVENESS OF POLICY IMPLEMENTATION, AND CURRICULUM ADAPTATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (HEIS)

Abstract

The new normal poses a challenge to the academic culture, management, and existing policies of higher education institutions. The new normal calls for the creation and implementation of a “new normal educational policy” to ensure continued quality education despite lockdowns, community quarantine, and compliance with minimum health protocols. This study aimed to determine and analyse the factors affecting the higher education institutions’ culture, management, and policies. Specifically, it analysed the effect of total quality management and the institution’s culture on the quality assurance program. To test the hypothesis that the effectiveness of quality assurance program factors is significantly related to the level of implementation of total quality management and the level of the institution’s culture, an online survey was distributed to administrators, personnel, teachers, and students of the four (4) campuses of Laguna State Polytechnic University. The results presented that the Total Quality Management and institution’s culture is significantly related to the perception of the Quality Assurance Program effectiveness. The result shows that the schools have yet to reach a high level of quality assurance program. Relative to this, the educational institution’s Total Quality Management, as well as the school culture, must be improved in order to effect a positive change toward the creation of plans and initiatives for the implementation of an effective Quality Assurance Program.