Quality assurance and accreditation in higher education: India vis-à-vis European countries

Abstract

Quality assurance (QA) and accreditation in higher education include the systematic management and assessment of procedures to monitor performance and to address areas of improvement. In the context of globalization, without assuring the quality of higher education programmes it is not possible to ensure credit transfer and student mobility, to address manpower needs, or to improve economic productivity. In the globalised environment the emergence of trans-national institutions and the use of electronic media for distance education pose a great challenge to quality assurance agencies, in (i) clarifying issues pertaining to quality assurance procedures and (ii) developing acceptable criteria for assessment. A joint effort between higher education institutions and accreditation bodies is needed to ensure effective coordination and communication, adhesion to an ethical code of good practice, and objective, fair, and rigorous quality assessment and accreditation.