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

This research seeks to explore academics’ perceptions of the importance and degree of implementation of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) for internal quality assurance. It uses empirical evidence from Portugal, gathered via a questionnaire given to all university academics. Results show academics’ perceptions of the importance and implementation of the ESG in their institutions to be quite positive. Nevertheless, academics tend to find the standards more important than effectively implemented. Furthermore, significant differences in perceptions emerge between groups of academics. This study intends to contribute to a better understanding of the implementation of quality management practices in universities, and the influence of the ESG in this process.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Quality management in universities : towards an integrated approach?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically test the thesis that universities are developing their different quality management (QM) systems comprehensively and integrating them in their broader management and governance systems, covering different processes, organisational levels and the principles of QM. Design/methodology/approach The empirical work is based on a country case study which embeds three paradigmatic university case studies. Data are obtained from institutional documents, as well as from individual and panel interviews. A content analysis using N-Vivo was undertaken. Findings Universities show signs of integrating QM in their overall management and governance framework. They develop their QM systems with a focus on teaching and learning, but they are increasingly trying to integrate their other processes. They seek to involve their different organisational levels, from the programme to the institutional level. Universities cover most QM principles, but show deficiencies regarding customer focus, mutually beneficial supplier relationships, involvement of people and process and system approach. Research limitations/implications The research shows the results of three paradigmatic cases regarding QM implementation, since these were the first to have their QM systems certified by the Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education. In future work, it would be interesting to understand how other universities are developing their QM systems and whether implementation occurs in an integrated way. Practical implications The authors expect that the results will add to the discussion on the implementation of QM in universities, further contributing to the development of truly integrated approaches to QM in higher education. Originality/value The paper discusses the QM systems which are being developed and implemented in universities and analyses how integrated they are, as only those that are fully integrated will contribute to improve the overall quality of universities.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

School performance management practices and school achievement

Purpose The literature is very rich in its discussion on how to measure school performance, but there are still a number of gaps to investigate in relation to the determinants of that performance, especially at the level of school performance management practices. The purpose of the paper is to understand better performance management practices in schools and how they may relate to school achievement. Design/methodology/approach Frequently, the performance of schools is evaluated using solely output measures: especially exam classifications, but also progression rates, completion rates and wastage rates. Previously, a value‐added approach was used to quantitatively evaluate Portuguese secondary schools beyond output results. From the results of this exercise, a sample of schools with different levels of observed performance was chosen. In‐depth case studies of the sample of schools were undertaken to gather an understanding of their performance management practices, taking Bouckaert and Halligan's framework of analysis. Findings Self‐evaluation and performance management are not well developed in schools. Most schools monitor exam results, progression and completion rates. However, they do not seem to do it in a formal and systematic way, and find it difficult to understand the reasons for the results obtained. Incorporation of performance measures into performance management is incipient, and most acknowledge the difficulty of going from measurement of results to improvement actions. Few can demonstrate that improvement actions have resulted from self‐evaluation and very few evaluate improvement actions' results. There seems to be an agreement that the external evaluation of schools has prompted the development of self‐evaluation. Originality/value This is a study at the meso level of analysis of public sector performance, that of state education. The study contributes to a better understanding of performance management in Portuguese secondary schools. More generally, it investigates the usefulness of the Bouckaert and Halligan framework to assess progress in performance management and whether that will lead to progress in performance itself.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The integration of quality management in universities : an analysis based on quality policy statements

Theoretically, a more integrative vision of quality management (QM) practices is being proposed (Manatos, Sarrico, & Rosa, 2015), and universities seem to be in the process of following a path towards a stronger integration of their QM practices (Rosa & Amaral, 2007; Sousa & Voss, 2002; Srikanthan & Dalrymple, 2002, 2007).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The integration of quality management in higher education institutions : a systematic literature review

This paper presents the results of a systematic literature review showing how the literature on quality management (QM) in higher education (HE) has evolved. As a first contribution, this work presents a systematic breakdown of research in the field of HE quality management. Its second and most innovative contribution is its coverage of the process of introducing quality management into institutions’ global management systems. Theoretically, we believe this second point to be a general trend in the evolution of the quality management literature, and empirically it represents a trend for quality management principles and practices in governance and management systems of higher education institutions (HEIs). The literature was analysed by distinguishing three main levels in HEIs: a process level, an organisational level, and, since our focus is specifically on the field of quality management, a quality management principles level. Overall, this paper concludes that integration at the three levels of analysis is strong. Moreover, we were able to identify a trend towards the development of holistic and comprehensive quality management approaches both in conceptual and empirical research studies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The European standards and guidelines for internal quality assurance: an integrative approach to quality management in higher education?

Purpose The authors’ thesis statement is that the literature on quality management in higher education is evolving towards an idea of integration. Considering Part 1 of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) (ENQA, 2009) to be a framework for the implementation of quality management practices in universities, the purpose of this paper is to understand whether the ESG represent a truly integrated quality management model. Design/methodology/approach The authors analyse the content of the ESG taking into account three levels of analysis: the process level, the organisational level and the quality management principles level. Findings The analysis shows that the ESG are a quality management model, covering different processes, organisational levels and quality management principles. This is despite not being a truly integrated quality management model. Indeed, the ESG are mainly focussed on teaching and learning and on support processes, neglecting other processes of universities, such as research and scholarship and the third mission. In addition, they leave aside quality management principles more directly linked with a systemic and holistic approach to quality, such as the system approach principle. Originality/value The paper presents a new analysis of a much discussed quality management model for higher education. It explores the ESG in the light of the concept of integration, discussed according to a new framework of analysis. It also highlights the importance of a broader reflection on these standards and of their integration in the management systems of institutions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The use of the European Standards and Guidelines by national accreditation agencies and local review panels

In this explorative study, the translation perspective from organisational studies is taken to analyse how national accreditation agencies interpret the so-called European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) and adjust these to the domestic context. Additionally, the study investigates how review panels make use of the ESG vocabulary in their review reports. The empirical materials stem from a variety of 17 higher education institutions in Croatia, Estonia, Finland and Portugal. The findings illustrate the translation processes (copying and modification) taking place and reveal that particularly national quality assurance frameworks often deviate from the ESG. Review panels stay fairly close to the domestic frameworks

Quality as a management tool

Handbook on Higher Education Management and Governance Elgar Handbooks in Education Edited by Alberto Amaral and António Magalhães This ground-breaking Handbook examines the evolution of university autonomy and governance by tracking the changing relationship between higher education institutions and the state. Through unique historical analyses, contributors provide important insights into the position of students, academics, and universities in today’s society and map potential future directions of travel for the sector.The purpose of this chapter is to reflect on how quality has become a management tool and a set of good practices of organizational management. Quality relates to how well the outputs from education, research and engagement produce the intended outcomes, such as learning and social outcomes of graduates, and contribution to societal innovation. As such, quality must be the main concern. At a strategic level, quality provides a competitive advantage in a global market. In more marketized systems, quality ensures the survival of the organization. In more state driven systems, with complex multi-level governance arrangements, the pursuit of quality means being accountable to a myriad of stakeholders, maintaining legitimacy, and getting support to operate. The chapter provides an overview on how institutions have been developing their quality management systems and integrating them in their broader management and governance, covering different missions, organizational levels, and quality management principles