The analysis of collaboration in educational quality assurance policy: A case study of Walailak University

Abstract

Collaboration is a contemporary management concept that is considered essential for achieving development policy outcomes. However, research on collaboration and quality assurance policies in higher education in Thailand has been challenging. The aim of this study was to investigate how collaboration contributes to the successful implementation of the educational quality assurance policy at Walailak University.To address this research question, a mixed-method approach was used which combined qualitative and quantitative research methods. This approach was chosen to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the subject and was based on the collaborative governance theory and resource-based framework. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 key informants who are important actors in the quality assurance process at the university. These interviews were supplemented by a questionnaire survey of 400 respondents from various stakeholders at the university.
 The findings of this study showed that facilitative leadership, incentive to collaborate, repetition of effort to collaborate and resource-knowledge sharing are among the key determinants contributing to collaboration processes in educational quality assurance. The results also indicated that these factors are interrelated and can contribute to the successful implementation of the university's quality assurance policy. Based on these findings, models of collaboration in enhancing quality assurance outcomes were demonstrated that resource-knowledge sharing, negotiation, trust-building, commitment to the process and shared-understanding have statistically significant positive impact on educational quality assurance outcomes including producing graduate outcomes, research outcomes, academic services outcomes and preserving arts and cultures. The practical benefits were proposed and discussed.