The Challenges of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Afghanistan: A Policy Implementation Analysis

Abstract

The quest for quality has evolved as a major concern for higher education institutions (HEIs) in developing world. A majority of these countries have adopted quality assurance and accreditation (QAA) policies in order to improve the quality of higher education services. However, implementation of QAA has generated diverse responses among different types of HEIs as their mission and scope of work vary from one another. As a result, implementing a QAA in a public HEI is not a straightforward process. The current research examines the challenges faced by public universities in Afghanistan as they implement a QAA system. More specifically, the study investigates how sensemaking and sensegiving occur as QAA is implemented at teaching vs. research universities, and ways that key-informants at various institutions make use of sensemaking and sensegiving as a tool to interpret the policy.