This study investigated the current practices of quality assurance systems in Ethiopia at national and institutional levels in the light of government’s intended policies and the policies that are being implemented in HEIs. In addition, the study intended to compare the practices of public and private HEIs. It focused on quality assurance in degree-granting public and accredited private higher education institutionsin Ethiopia. For this study, I employed a mixed approach (qualitative as a main and quantitative as a subsidiary approach), combining a comparative case study and a survey to investigate the practices of QA systems in HEIs. Data was gathered from the National QA agency, degree-granting public universities, and accredited private university colleges. In addition, HERQA experts, academic vice presidents, QA directors, research and publication directors, college deans, internal quality reviewers and senior academic staff were involved in the study. Semi-structured interviews with key informants, documentary evidence, and a survey questionnaire form the main evidence base. Content analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the qualitative and quantitative data respectively. Although the study found structured QA processes at national and institutional levels, these were very recent in public HEIs, whereas and a quality culture had been developed in private HEIs. Self-evaluation and external quality audits are common methodologies used by both private and public HEIs. In addition, accreditation is another QA mechanism used by national quality assurance agencies to accredit private HEIs. This study confirmed that there was no QA policy at national and institutional levels to direct QA activities at all levels. This had a negative impact on the effective implementation of the system. Standards could be useful because they provide an institution with a clear idea of an ‘ideal’ end point, something towards which to strive. HEIs should develop their own quality principles and quality indicators for each key area of quality; however, the quality managers of both private and public HEIs did not understand the meaning of quality standards or quality indicators. There was a significant difference between public and private HEIs in the implementation of internal QA systems and their commitment to implementing them. Private HEIs’ top managers were more committed than those of public HEIs. The impact of QA systems on core activities of the institutions also varied from private and public HEIs. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Quality management of higher education is a vital concern today. The purpose of this study was to examine education quality management practices of Ethiopian public universities and to investigate a relationship between three dependent variables (planning for quality education, implementation of plans and performance improvement) and five independent variables (identification of quality education, considering customers’ needs, performance tracking, education quality management strategies and taking actions). Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected by means of questionnaires and interviews. Respondents of the questionnaire items were 170 education managers and student union representatives. In addition, ten senior instructors and ten senior students were interviewed. The responses obtained using questionnaires were analysed using frequencies, percentages, means, modes, chi-square tests and Spearman’s correlation. Responses obtained using open ended items on the questionnaires and interview responses were analysed qualitatively using themes of issues most frequently obtained. This study showed that: in most Ethiopian public universities the educational quality planning process is not participatory. There is a gap in using their plans in guiding their day to day activities. Most universities do not regularly collect data on satisfaction levels of their customers. Educational process changes are not tested on small scale before a wide spread application. It also showed that there is a strong positive relationship between performance improvement and the four independent variables namely: considering customers’ needs, performance tracking, teaching methodologies and taking actions in Ethiopian public universities. Consequently, recommendations have been given so as to improve education quality management practices of Ethiopian public universities. This study hopefully contributes a lot for performance improvement of similar higher education system. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This study investigated the current practices of quality assurance systems in Ethiopia at national and institutional levels in the light of government’s intended policies and the policies that are being implemented in HEIs. In addition, the study intended to compare the practices of public and private HEIs. It focused on quality assurance in degree-granting public and accredited private higher education institutionsin Ethiopia. For this study, I employed a mixed approach (qualitative as a main and quantitative as a subsidiary approach), combining a comparative case study and a survey to investigate the practices of QA systems in HEIs. Data was gathered from the National QA agency, degree-granting public universities, and accredited private university colleges. In addition, HERQA experts, academic vice presidents, QA directors, research and publication directors, college deans, internal quality reviewers and senior academic staff were involved in the study. Semi-structured interviews with key informants, documentary evidence, and a survey questionnaire form the main evidence base. Content analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the qualitative and quantitative data respectively. Although the study found structured QA processes at national and institutional levels, these were very recent in public HEIs, whereas and a quality culture had been developed in private HEIs. Self-evaluation and external quality audits are common methodologies used by both private and public HEIs. In addition, accreditation is another QA mechanism used by national quality assurance agencies to accredit private HEIs. This study confirmed that there was no QA policy at national and institutional levels to direct QA activities at all levels. This had a negative impact on the effective implementation of the system. Standards could be useful because they provide an institution with a clear idea of an ‘ideal’ end point, something towards which to strive. HEIs should develop their own quality principles and quality indicators for each key area of quality; however, the quality managers of both private and public HEIs did not understand the meaning of quality standards or quality indicators. There was a significant difference between public and private HEIs in the implementation of internal QA systems and their commitment to implementing them. Private HEIs’ top managers were more committed than those of public HEIs. The impact of QA systems on core activities of the institutions also varied from private and public HEIs. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

This study serves two major purposes. First, it explores and validates attributes, dimensions and constructs that can be used to measure service quality in Ethiopian public higher education (EPHE) context. Second, it examines the interplay among the major service quality constructs and student related variables in search of a comprehensive theoretical framework for HE service quality. The study started its investigation by formulating a set of research questions that explore attributes, dimensions and constructs essential to measure service quality (RQ1), test for the measurement model fit (RQ2), examine the relationships or associations among the four service constructs and characteristics of students (RQ3), test for the structural model fit (RQ4), determine the causal relations among the variables in the structural model (RQs4.1 - 4.7), and assess service quality performances of EPHE institutions (RQ5). A mixed methods study with the qual-QUAN exploratory sequential design was employed to empirically answer the research questions. Fifteen interviewees took part in the qualitative phase. The interviews were analysed employing thematic analysis and narration of verbatim accounts. Three levels of themes that represent attributes, dimensions and constructs of service quality were identified and used to develop a questionnaire designed to measure service quality more objectively. The questionnaire was piloted at a pilot site involving 460 undergraduate students and its psychometric properties were determined. The main study was carried out in three universities selected from a target population of seven first generation public universities employing lottery sampling method. Concurrently, four programmes were chosen from a target population of 27 commonly offered programmes in the three sample universities employing systematic random sampling. Considering different batches and the four programmes as strata, 1412 undergraduate students were included in the main study using proportionate stratified random sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential statistics including factor analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) were employed to address the research questions. The results from the qualitative and quantitative phases show that service quality can be measured by four constructs, of which three are multi-dimensional and one is a single dimensional construct. The four factor measurement model fit analysis resulted in an acceptable fit indices (i.e., CMIN/DF = 4.398, GFI = .915, CFI = .951, RMSEA = .049 and PCLOSE =.743) after some re-specifications and confirmed the structural validity of the instrument. Mixed results were obtained with regard to the correlations/associations between student characteristics and service quality constructs. After some re-specification, a structural model for the four service quality constructs and nine student related variables were identified with an acceptable fit indices (CMIN/DF=3.856, GFI=.901, CFI =.934 and RMSEA=.045, p=1.000). The path analyses also revealed that loyalty is a latent construct with 62% of its varaince predicted by the joint effects of percieved service quality, satisfaction and perceived gain. Each of these predicator latent constructs are also explained by some other control varaibles and latent constructs that have a predictive power ranging from 12% to 60%. Students perceived the current status of service quality in EPHE institutions as daunting in all constructs of service quality except perceived gain. Finally, conclusions pertinent to the measurement instrument and understanding of HE service queality are drawn, and recommendations that have theoretical and practical implications are forwarded. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Quality management of higher education is a vital concern today. The purpose of this study was to examine education quality management practices of Ethiopian public universities and to investigate a relationship between three dependent variables (planning for quality education, implementation of plans and performance improvement) and five independent variables (identification of quality education, considering customers’ needs, performance tracking, education quality management strategies and taking actions). Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected by means of questionnaires and interviews. Respondents of the questionnaire items were 170 education managers and student union representatives. In addition, ten senior instructors and ten senior students were interviewed. The responses obtained using questionnaires were analysed using frequencies, percentages, means, modes, chi-square tests and Spearman’s correlation. Responses obtained using open ended items on the questionnaires and interview responses were analysed qualitatively using themes of issues most frequently obtained. This study showed that: in most Ethiopian public universities the educational quality planning process is not participatory. There is a gap in using their plans in guiding their day to day activities. Most universities do not regularly collect data on satisfaction levels of their customers. Educational process changes are not tested on small scale before a wide spread application. It also showed that there is a strong positive relationship between performance improvement and the four independent variables namely: considering customers’ needs, performance tracking, teaching methodologies and taking actions in Ethiopian public universities. Consequently, recommendations have been given so as to improve education quality management practices of Ethiopian public universities. This study hopefully contributes a lot for performance improvement of similar higher education system. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)