Quality Assurance In Higher Education Institutions Research Articles

Big data challenge for monitoring quality in higher education institutions using business intelligence dashboards

As big data becomes an apparent challenge to handle when building a business intelligence (BI) system, there is a motivation to handle this challenging issue in higher education institutions (HEIs). Monitoring quality in HEIs encompasses handling huge amounts of data coming from different sources. This paper reviews big data and analyses the cases from the literature regarding quality assurance (QA) in HEIs. It also outlines a framework that can address the big data challenge in HEIs to handle QA monitoring using BI dashboards and a prototype dashboard is presented in this paper. The dashboard was developed using a utilisation tool to monitor QA in HEIs to provide visual representations of big data. The prototype dashboard enables stakeholders to monitor compliance with QA standards while addressing the big data challenge associated with the substantial volume of data managed by HEIs’ QA systems. This paper also outlines how the developed system integrates big data from social media into the monitoring dashboard

Understanding Faculty Perceptions of Quality Assurance in Saudi Higher Education

Research in the field of quality assurance (QA) in education ranges from accreditation to employing specific quality systems. In Saudi Arabia (KSA), QA in education is relatively new, and studies on QA in Saudi higher education institutions (HEIs) are limited. HEIs in KSA follow different approaches while being loosely connected by government accreditation guidelines. As faculty are key stakeholders in developing quality teaching and learning, more research on faculty perceptions of QA is needed. This study aimed to understand the perceptions of English language educators, teachers, and leaders surrounding QA in HEIs in KSA, specifically the perceptions of QA procedures and processes. Furthermore, it aimed to discover perceptions on implementation, including the extent and success of QA implementation in Saudi HEIs and surrounding teaching and learning. The study employed a qualitative approach to gain an in-depth understanding of English language educators’ perspectives on QA in KSA. Semi-structured online interviews were used to gather data on the perceptions of eight participants. All participants were English language teachers or leaders; however, they were from different HEIs across KSA. The results were analyzed using qualitative analysis processes. The interviews were transcribed. The results were then organized per question. They were then analyzed and coded before being reorganized into common themes for further analysis. The results revealed some key commonalities surrounding perceptions of QA in Saudi HEIs, namely the purpose and challenges faced. The research results may be used to gauge a clearer understanding of the current status of QA in Saudi HEIs. Saudi HEIs and educators will be able to use the research results to reexamine their own internal QA processes. On an academic level, the findings helped to build a clearer picture of how QA is developing across Saudi HEIs and where other studies may be able to inform or enhance the findings.

Critical Analysis of the Applicability of the ISO 9001 Standard in Higher Education Institutions

This paper analyses the applicability of the ISO 9001 standard in higher education institutions (HEIs). The ISO 9001standard, initially developed for application in industry, sets the requirements for implementing a quality management system (QMS) in an organisation. Over the years, the standard has been adapted to the higher education (HE) sector as a model for quality assurance and enhancement. In this study, the standard is analysed based on a framework with the following variables; 1) Importance of the philosophy of the standard in HE, 2) Suitability to HE, 3) Ease of implementation, 4) Effect on quality assurance and enhancement and 5) Effect on quality culture. The mechanisms of how the standard affects quality management are also presented. The analysis shows that ISO 9001 is based on a philosophy that resonates with general approaches to quality assurance in HEIs. The seven principles of the standard provide a good base for an effective QMS. The standard is suitable to HEIs as its provisions can be adapted to the peculiarities of this sector. Although there is some considerable workload exerted by the standard, it can be applied with ease. There is both theoretical and empirical basis for the standard to embolden quality assurance and enhancement in HE. Both academic provision and administrative services can benefit from the standard. The standard can promote and strengthen quality culture in HEIs, more so where staff show deep engagement with the processes of the standard. It is concluded that the ISO 9001 standard provides a framework for a QMS that is applicable to the HE sector.

Quality assurance in Afghan higher education: achievements and challenges

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review the development of quality assurance (QA) processes in higher education in Afghanistan and chart and assess the current achievements and challenges. Drawing on fieldwork, documentary research and secondary sources, the analysis seeks to integrate these elements into an integrated overall analysis of the phenomenon of QA in Afghan higher education, including its evolution over time, with some attention given to the implications for future development.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology is based on field study, conducted by one of the authors, interviews with the Ministry of Higher Education officials by the second author, collection and analysis of policy documents and review of relevant literature.FindingsKey findings reveal some tensions between stated policies regarding QA in Afghan higher education: limited finance, growing levels of insecurity and limited capacity within the Ministry of Higher Education, including staff training. Some barriers within higher education institutions are also pointed out in both public and private higher educational institutions.Research limitations/implicationsImplications of the research are that although further funding is needed to institute QA in higher education institutions, both public and private, this is unlikely in the current circumstances, with donor funds limited and commitments not always fulfilled. Anti-corruption measures will continue to be important, and declining security, in some provinces more than others, will likely limit the effective implementation of QA measures.Practical implicationsGiven current conditions in Afghanistan, there are clear practical limits to what can be achieved in strengthening QA in higher education. The undoubted enthusiasm of the people, however, means that the situation must be addressed as far as possible. Greater engagement with regional QA networks, more training for QA assessors and greater regulation of the burgeoning private sector would go a long way to bring about improvement, as would ongoing efforts to rein in corruption.Social implicationsAn important move regarding direct social implications would be to maintain and strengthen moves to engage more women in higher education, including higher proportions of (senior) female administrative and academic staff. Although barriers to women’s empowerment are by no means restricted to the higher education sector, it should show the lead in both enrolment and employment.Originality/valueWhile QA in higher education is a major focus of higher education literature, there are less research studies on QA measures in developing country contexts and even less on fragile states such as Afghanistan. But for the country to prosper, good quality higher education is vital, and a study of the implementation of QA measures is an important contribution.

PENJAMINAN MUTU PERGURUAN TINGGI: DILEMA POLITIK ORGANISASI DAN URGENSI PENGGUNAAN PROFESIONAL EKSTERNAL

<p><em>Higher education institutions (HEI) are encouraged to develop Internal Quality Assurance System (IQAS) that could assist the process of external audit, accreditation and to face the tight competition. General phenomenon of HEI’sIQAS,so far, is still away from qualified and even practically tends to be manipulative. This literature-based article aims to review the role of leadership in campus political practice and the urgence of external professional usage in order to improve internal quality assurance in HEI. The study reveals that improper campus political practice has become the bottleneck for the effectiveness of IQAS. It needs a fundamental change of top leader’s paradigm, particularly in the policy of internal auditor placement. A revolutionary breakthrough of hiring external professional tobe placed as internal auditor seems to be needed, specifically to keep the independency and objectivity, as well as to assure the qualified performance of all units in HEI.</em></p>