The Total Quality Initiative at South Bank University

Abstract

The total quality initiative covers all aspects of the University's academic and support services, but only one of a number of different programmes is discussed in detail, the formulation of quality service agreements. The paper outlines both the theoretical basis and the practical implementation of the approach. Another programme, quality in teaching and learning, is also briefly outlined. The systematic examination and articulation of customer/supplier relationships lies at the core of South Bank's total quality approach, with quality being customer rather than system driven. The concept of the ‘quality chain’ is developed to stress and demonstrate the interdependence of all staff in providing a high quality service to students. The customer/supplier relationship is founded on three aspects of quality-characteristics, standards and measurement of performance, all of which are dealt with in some detail. Thirty-two Customer/Supplier Working Groups are charged with the task of establishing detailed quality service agreements between academic schools and support departments the ‘internal’ customers and suppliers, and between the schools as suppliers and their students (and other clients) as ‘external’ customers.