A qualitative empirical study of how higher education actors in Azerbaijan conceptualise excellence in teaching and how they promote it at different levels. The findings provide an original insight into how the concept of excellence is understood in the higher education of Azerbaijan. Intriguingly, there is no definition of teaching excellence nor…

As elsewhere in Africa, Mozambique established, during the 2000s, a national higher education quality assurance system to cope with the country's rapid expansion of higher education. In 2014, the national quality assurance agency began the accreditation process. From 2015 to 2020, the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM), the country's oldest and…

The aim of this study is to identify and analyse the obstacles and influential factors of the quality of higher education in Allameh Tabataba'i University based on the viewpoints of academic staff. The study was conducted using a phenomenological approach. The research population included 34 academic staff of the university, who were selected…

Bangladesh's approach to devising a Quality Assurance Framework in higher education has eventuated in less than a decade. The framework provides criteria within which universities must operate and encompasses internal self-assessment review and monitoring besides external quality assurance, with the intrinsic goal of operationalising national…

This study aims to investigate Turkish higher education students' participation behaviours in quality assurance systems. The data were collected from 113 students through a semi-structured qualitative questionnaire developed based on the theory of planned behaviour. The data were analysed under three main themes: feelings, subjective norms and…

Little is known about how the complex notion of higher education quality is understood and (strategically) handled by a specific group of key university actors: directors of educational programmes. A framing analysis of in-depth interviews was conducted to explore how bachelor-programme directors in Dutch social science departments understand and…

Quality assurance in higher education has become a global activity. In the European Higher Education Area, cross-border quality assurance has been heavily encouraged by the European Commission. Behind this, lies the belief that encouraging competition among quality assurance bodies and introducing a liberal 'market' logic into the sector would…

Quality management in higher education is generally discussed with reference to commendable outcomes such as success, best practice, improvement or control. This paper, though, focuses on the problems of organising quality management. It follows the narrative of the seven deadly sins, with each 'sin' illustrating an inherent trade-off or paradox…

Embedding quality into higher education institutions is a challenging matter given the complexity of the higher education environment. Although several studies have been conducted seeking to reveal associated challenges, a limited number of researches have been implemented on a cross-national level. This study investigates challenges associated…

Quality accreditation in higher education exists in many countries, including Vietnam. As of May 2018, 80 higher education institutions in Vietnam have officially been evaluated and recognised using the national quality standards. This study examined the impact of institutional accreditation on the evaluated university. The qualitative research…

The development of applied-practice or professional doctorates has implications for the roles of not only academics and students but also the commercial drivers in the knowledge economy. The changes suggest that it is in the common good for developing economies, as well as benefiting both private economic and social capital. Universities worldwide…

Since 1997, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has invested in higher education and its expansion as part of its commitment to building a knowledge-based society. Though the UAE has prioritised quality higher education, it still faces challenges in producing graduates who are capable of actively participating in building its knowledge base. The…

This article explores the status of student feedback channels and the role of student representatives in the quality assurance and enhancement of Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) programmes. It provides an analysis of 1941 open-ended survey responses, covering 87 EMJMD programmes and involving respondents of 129 nationalities. The…

Faced with the rapid pace of knowledge expansion, higher education institutions are challenged to raise the efficacy of student education, overcoming the traditionally rigid teaching-centred approach, and shifting the focus instead towards learning, while preparing competent professionals who are able to self-manage knowledge. This paper outlines…

The paper investigates the views of Greek university graduates on the link between higher education and productivity in order to determine the extent to which productivity can be considered to be an indication of quality in higher education. It also investigates the perceived effect of the type and content of higher education on productivity;…