Does internal quality management contribute to more control or to improvement of higher education?

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore faculty's perceptions of quality management activities (QMA) within their departments, attention being paid to relevant quality aspects and whether quality management contributes to control or improvement of higher education. Furthermore, it examines differences between departments and relationships between the different variables.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire containing items with Likert‐type answer scales was distributed to faculty (n=266) of 18 departments of universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands: 16 items dealt with QMA, 17 with attention paid to relevant quality aspects and ten with the perceived effects.FindingsFaculty were neutral about the degree to which sufficient QMA were conducted within their departments. They were positive about the attention paid to relevant quality aspects. Furthermore, they were positive about the effects in terms of improvement and negative about the effects in terms of control. Significant differences were found between departments. Finally, positive correlations were found between management activities, attention being paid to quality aspects and the perceived effect in terms of improvement.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation of this study is that only faculty's perceptions were measured, thus it is not clear whether these QMA really result in improvement in educational practice.Practical implicationsDepartments paying little attention to quality aspects and with few QMA could really benefit from further increasing their quality management efforts.Originality/valueQuality management is often seen as mainly contributing to control and managerialism. This study demonstrates that according to faculty, quality management is influencing improvement positively.

Perceptions about accreditation and quality management in Higher Education. Development of a Spanish-language questionnaire with a sample of academics from a private university

“…The main findings about these processes on HEIs are presented below, organized into main topics that the literature review regarding perceptions about accreditation and quality management, has indicated as relevant (Busco, Dooner, & d'Alencon, 2018;Cardoso et al, 2013;Cardoso et al, 2015;IPSOS, 2010b;Kleijnen, Dolmans, Willems, & van Hout, 2011;Lemaitre, Maturana, Zenteno, & Alvarado, 2011;Scharager, 2017;Zapata & Torre, 2012).…”

Los académicos frente a la gestión de la calidad en las instituciones de educación superior: percepción y valoración

“…Cartwright (2007, p. 296) observa que los académicos con responsabilidades de gestión en los programas de calidad también son conscientes de que están tomando parte en un "juego" cuyas reglas se establecen fuera del ámbito académico. los planteamientos de Newton y Cartwright han hallado respuesta en un trabajo reciente de Kleijnen et al (2011), que llega a conclusiones similares a las de Elmuty et al (1996).…”

“…Para los partidarios de la gestión de la calidad en el sector universitario, el trabajo de Kleijnen et al (2011) ofrece una interpretación bastante amable. Sin embargo, los valores medios otorgados por los docentes a las afirmaciones sobre el impacto de la gestión de la calidad en la mejora de la enseñanza no son suficientemente altas -los propios autores los califican de "neutrales"-para concluir que existe unanimidad entre los docentes; al contrario, los resultados de Kleijnen et al son perfectamente compatibles con la existencia de posturas críticas entre los académicos.…”

The importance and degree of implementation of the European standards and guidelines for internal quality assurance in universities: the views of Portuguese academics

“…Such outcomes are seen as capable of inducing improvement, especially in teaching and learning (Rosa et al, 2012, pp. 363-364), hence benefiting students, as well as academic work and decision-making processes (Huusko & Ursin, 2010;Kleijnen, Dolmans, Willems, & van Hout, 2011). Accreditation is also supported by those with managerial roles, who see it as providing the opportunity for institutions to reflect on their mission and purpose and 'to join an elite club' (Bell & Taylor, 2005, p. 248).…”