Toward a multi-perspective model of quality culture in Higher Education Institutions?
Abstract
A vast majority of Higher Education Institutes have formalised their quality management practices in order to be able to systematically generate information for accountability and improvement purposes. Despite the fact that these practices are becoming more alike, differences between and even within institutions persist in the degree to which they are considered effective in actually enhancing quality of education. A broad consensus exists that institutes should strive for a ‘quality culture’. However, to date, there is a lack of agreement on a definition of ‘quality culture’, its underlying organisational values and means to nurture such a culture.
In this paper, we elaborate on the theoretical background and present a conceptual framework underpinning a research project aimed at collecting empirical data on staff members’ values across different study programmes as well as the present communication climate, commitment of staff members and its relationship with the perceived effectiveness of quality management practices.
This paper was presented at EQAF and reflects the views of the named authors only.
