Quality Assurance at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST): Integrating Administrative Quality and Academic Accreditation

Abstract

In light of the significant developments in higher education in recent years such as globalization, and the resulting survival challenges including but not limited to unprecedented expansion and ensuing intense competition, higher education institutions across the world had to implement international quality standards. Realizing the challenge, JUST had quality embedded in its core strategic objectives and explicitly highlighted it in its vision and mission statements. However, unlike the vast majority of higher education institutions where quality is perceived in terms of purely academic-only parameters, JUST elected to proceed in an integrated quality approach. The approach entails addressing simultaneously both academic and administrative aspects in an integrative complimentary manner. In the implementation phase, JUST put down a comprehensive total quality management system that enjoys full top management support and involves representations from all aspects of the university’s operations, departments, and units. It is claimed that thanks to this approach, JUST secured an advanced distinguished place in terms of quality that manifested itself in pioneering in local and international accreditations, as well as leading positions in world university rankings.