Since its inception, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has largely been used for qualitative diagnosis. Radiologists and physicians are increasingly becoming interested in quantitative assessments. The American College of Radiology (ACR) developed an accreditation program that incorporates tests pertaining to quantitative and qualitative analyses. As a result, sites often use the ACR procedure for daily quality assurance (QA) testing. The ACR accreditation program uses information obtained from clinical and phantom images to assess overall image quality of a scanner. For the phantom assessment, a human observer performs manual tests on T1 and T2-weighted volumes of the provided phantom. As these tests are tedious and time consuming, the primary goal of this research was to fully automate the procedure for QA purposes. The performance of the automated procedure was assessed by comparing the test results with the decisions made by human observers. The test results of the automated ACR QA procedure were well correlated with that of human observers. The automated ACR QA procedure takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. Upon program completion, the test results are logged in multiple text files. To this date, no QA procedure has been reported for Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI). Therefore, the secondary goal of this thesis was to develop a DTI QA procedure that assess two of the associated features used most in diagnosis, namely, diffusion anisotropy and the direction of primary diffusion. To this end, a physical phantom was constructed to model restricted diffusion, relative to axon size, using water-filled polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) microbore capillary tubes. Automated procedures were developed to test fractional anisotropy (FA) map contrast and capillary bundle (axon) orientation accuracy. / Master of Science

Cell-based design is a widely adopted design approach in current Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) and System-on-Chip (SOC) designs. A standard cell library is a collection of basic building blocks that can be used in cell-based design. The use of a standard cell library offers shorter design time, induces fewer errors in the design process, and is easier to maintain. Development of a cell library is laborious, prone to errors and even a small error on a library cell can possibly be disastrous due to repeated use of the cell in a design. In this thesis, we investigated ways to automate the process for development of a cell library, specifically TSMC 0.18-micron CMOS standard cell library. We examined various steps in the design flow to identify required repetitive tasks for individual cells. Those steps include physical verification, netlist extraction, cell characterization, and generation of Synopsys Liberty Format file. We developed necessary scripts in Skill, Tcl, Perl and Shell to automate those steps. Additionally, we developed scripts to automate the quality assurance process of the cell library, where quality assurance consists of verifying the entire ASIC design flow adopted for the Virginia Tech VLSI Telecommunications (VTVT) lab. Our scripts have been successfully used to develop our TSMC 0.18-micron library and to verify the quality assurance. The first version of the cell library was released on November 1, 2007 to universities worldwide, and as of March 2008, 20 universities have received the library from us. / Master of Science

No / This study aims to review the biosciences component of preregistration nursing programmes in higher education institutions across the UK through the experiences and perceptions of lecturers involved in nursing education. Studies suggest that some qualified nurses lack confidence in explaining the bio-scientific rationale for their clinical practice. Biosciences can be difficult to understand and integrate into clinical decision-making and require protected time within preregistration nurse education. In the absence of explicit national guidelines, it is unclear as to the depth and extent biosciences are taught across different institutions and the level achieved at the point of registration. A survey approach was adopted to generate quantitative and qualitative feedback. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire seeking the experiences and views of lecturers involved in teaching biosciences to nursing students across the UK. Data received from 10 institutions were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Lecturers reported that the hours of taught biosciences ranged from 20-113 hours, principally within the first year. This represents between 0.4-2.4% of time within a preregistration nursing programme (4600 hours). Large group lectures predominate, supplemented by smaller group or practical work, and online materials. The biosciences are assessed specifically in half the institutions surveyed and as part of integrated assessments in the rest. In relation to student feedback, all respondents stated that students consistently requested more time and greater priority for biosciences in their programme. This survey suggests that the number of hours spent teaching biosciences is minimal and varies widely between higher education institutions. All respondents expressed concern about the challenges of teaching difficult bio-scientific concepts to large groups in such a limited time and called for greater clarity in national guidelines to ensure that all nurses are adequately educated and assessed in bioscience subjects. Failure to understand the biosciences underpinning care has implications for safe and competent nursing.

The purpose of this study was to investigate to what degree foreign principals feel that they work as project managers, what types of political directives foreign principals find difficult to respond to, and what conditions foreign principals have to lead and quality-assure projects from political directives.As a data collection method, semi-structured interviews were used. The collected data was analyzed using thematic analysis, the analysis yielded three themes, Political directives, Project work and communication and Support and prerequisites. Ten foreign principals were interviewed, eight from Europe and two from Africa.The results of the study showed that principals abroad feel that the projects are relevant, that they are not implemented in their entirety, that the projects do not have a time frame, a budget, clear interim goals, final goals and that there is a lack of oral and written routines for implementation, quality assurance and in some cases a clear recipient. Furthermore, the results showed that there are challenges in how projects are communicated, that the operations also need to follow the laws and regulations of the host country, that there is a high staff turnover and that the majority lacks networks and access to Sweden. / Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka i vilken grad utlandsrektorer upplever att de arbetar som projektledare, vilka typer av politiska direktiv upplever utlandsrektorer som svåra att bemöta samt vilka förutsättningar utlandsrektorer har för att leda och kvalitetssäkra projekt från politiska direktiv. Som datainsamlingsmetod användes semistrukturerade intervjuer. Den insamlade datan analyserades med hjälp av tematisk analys, analysen gav tre teman, Politiska direktiv, Projektarbete och kommunikation samt Stöd och förutsättningar. Tio utlandsrektorer intervjuades, åtta från Europa och två från Afrika. Studiens resultat visade att utlandsrektorer upplever att de projekten är relevanta, att de inte implementeras i sin helhet, att projekten inte har en tidsram, en budget, tydliga delmål, slutmål samt att det saknas muntliga och skriftliga rutiner för genomförande, kvalitetssäkring och vissa fall en tydlig mottagare. Vidare visade resultatet att det finns utmaningar i hur projekt kommuniceras, att verksamheterna behöver följa även värdlandets lagar och regler, att det är en stor personalomsättning samt att majoriteten saknar nätverk och access till Sverige.

Quality assurance forms an integral part of education and training programme delivery. The purpose of this research was to determine whether the quality management systems (QMS) used by nursing education institutions in Gauteng are aligned to the SAQA criteria and guidelines for education and training providers. A quantitative, descriptive and exploratory design was followed using a self-administered questionnaire as data gathering instrument. A total of 32 respondents from three selected nursing education institutions completed the questionnaire. The data were analysed by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program. The findings revealed that the nursing education institutions only partially comply with SAQA’s core criteria for quality management systems. Recommendations to improve the current QMS were made. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The focus of the dissertation is on software quality assurance for object-oriented information systems development. A Quality Assurance Reference Model is proposed with aspects dealing with technical and managerial issues. A revised Spiral life cycle model is adopted as well as the Object Modelling Technique. The Quality Assurance Reference Model associates quality factors at various levels, quality criteria and metrics into a matrix framework that may be used to achieve quality assurance for all cycles of the Spiral Model. / Computing / M. Sc. (Information Systems)

Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Organisational culture and external quality assurance in higher education have both drawn significant attention to their promise of greater organisational effectiveness and efficiency and enhanced, improved higher education respectively. In recent years, these constructs have been linked by an assumption that an organisational culture that is amenable to change would be more receptive to the introduction of formal external quality‐assurance structures, systems and instruments, as these are aimed at effective and efficient higher education practices, processes and outcomes. However, this assumption has not been sufficiently tested given that there are significant philosophical, conceptual and methodological controversies and contestations surrounding both constructs. While the organisational culture literature has been littered with a proliferation of paradigms and, albeit, fragmented theories, there has been a paucity of theory building in the corresponding literature on quality in higher education in general and on the impact of external quality assurance on institutions specifically. A qualitative case study was conducted at a newly merged university of technology to investigate two taken‐for‐granted assumptions: first, that organisational cultures are homogenous, unitary and centred around shared values and could therefore easily be manipulated (usually from the top by management), and second, that the introduction of external quality assurance is an unproblematic technology that will be accepted without question by higher education institutions as it was premised upon the laudable aim of improving the quality of those institutions. A conceptual four‐perspective framework was developed to critically evaluate the literature and provide the basis for the threedimensional model used in analysing the findings. The research generated several key conclusions that appear to challenge commonly held and articulated positions with regard to organisational culture and external quality assurance. First, organisational culture should be considered as being more ephemeral than concrete, multidimensional than singular, characterised simultaneously by conflict, consensus and indifference and in a constant state of flux. Second, external quality assurance is not necessarily a value‐free and neutral exercise aimed at improving the quality of teaching and learning, as promised in its early conceptualisation and implementation. Third, multiple cultures may exist simultaneously, interact with and influence each other constantly and of course determine interactions within the organisation and the nature of engagement with externally originated initiatives. Fourth, external quality assurance has purposes that go beyond its often morally just and public‐good motives as it tacitly and overtly acts as an agent of control, empowerment and transformation and simultaneously as an agent of the state, though not necessarily to the same extent. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Organisatoriese kultuur en eksterne gehalteversekering in hoër onderwys het albei die aandag in groot mate gevestig op hulle belofte van groter organisatoriese doeltreffendheid en doelmatigheid en gevorderde, verbeterde hoër onderwys onderskeidelik. In die afgelope paar jaar is hierdie konstrukte byeengebring deur ʼn veronderstelling dat ʼn organisatoriese kultuur wat vatbaar is vir verandering, meer ontvanklik sal wees vir die invoer van formele eksterne strukture, stelsels en instrumente vir gehalteversekering, aangesien dit op doeltreffende en doelmatige praktyke, prosesse en uitkomste vir en van hoër onderwys gerig is. Hierdie aanname is egter nie voldoende getoets nie gegee die feit dat daar aansienlike filosofiese, konseptuele en metodologiese strydvrae en twispunte ten opsigte van albei konstrukte bestaan. Terwyl literatuur oor organisatoriese kultuur deur ʼn magdom paradigmas en weliswaar gefragmenteerde teorieë oorweldig is, was teoriebou in die ooreenstemmende literatuur oor gehalte in hoër onderwys in die algemeen en oor die impak van eksterne gehalteversekering op instellings in die besonder redelik skaars. ʼn Kwalitatiewe gevallestudie is onderneem by ʼn universiteit van tegnologie wat onlangs saamgesmelt het om twee aannames wat as vanselfsprekend aanvaar is, te ondersoek: eerstens, dat organisatoriese kulture homogeen, unitêr en óm gedeelde waardes gesentreer is en dat dit dus maklik gemanipuleer kan word (gewoonlik van bo af deur die bestuur), en tweedens, dat die invoer van eksterne gehalteversekering ʼn onproblematiese tegnologie is wat sonder teenspraak deur hoëronderwysinstellings aanvaar sal word, aangesien dit op die prysenswaardige oogmerk van verbetering van die gehalte van daardie instellings gegrond is. ʼn Konseptuele raamwerk bestaande uit vier perspektiewe is ontwikkel vir die kritiese evaluering van die literatuur en dit verskaf die grondslag vir die driedimensionele model wat vir die analise van die bevindings gebruik is. Die navorsing het verskeie belangrike gevolgtrekkings na vore laat kom wat algemeen geldende en duidelik bepaalde posisies ten opsigte van organisatoriese kultuur en eksterne gehalteversekering blyk uit te daag. Eerstens moet organisatoriese kultuur beskou word as efemeries eerder as konkreet, multidimensioneel eerder as enkelvoudig, terwyl dit gelyktydig deur konflik, konsensus en onverskilligheid gekenmerk word en in ʼn gedurige toestand van wisseling verkeer. Tweedens is eksterne gehalteversekering nie noodwendig, soos in die vroeë konseptualisering en implementering belowe, ʼn waardevrye en neutrale oefening gemik op verbetering van die gehalte van onderrig en leer nie. Derdens kan veelvuldige kulture gelyktydig bestaan, met mekaar in interaksie tree en mekaar voortdurend beïnvloed en natuurlik interaksies binne die organisasie en die aard van betrokkenheid by inisiatiewe wat ekstern ontstaan, bepaal. Vierdens het eksterne gehalteversekering oogmerke wat veel verder strek as die motiewe daarvan wat dikwels moreel geregverdig en vir die openbare beswil is aangesien dit stilswyend en op overte wyse optree as ʼn agent vir beheer, bemagtiging en transformasie en tegelyk as ʼn agent van die regering, alhoewel nie noodwendig tot dieselfde mate nie.

Thesis (MPhil (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / Over the past 10 to 15 years significant changes have taken place in higher education. Higher education institutions have been influenced by globalisation, an information explosion, shifts in teaching approaches to facilitate learning and new approaches to governance. Some of these factors have had implications on the decision-making processes which were traditionally used in higher education. Amongst these demands for change, the one which has apparently presented the most challenges is the demand for accountability to the stakeholders of higher education institutions. These stakeholders include the government, students, different communities and the constituents of the labour market. In order to meet the demands for accountability, an instrument referred to as quality assurance was introduced at all higher education institutions. Many institutions resorted to adopting a managerial approach to manage quality assurance and to facilitate efficiency. In using this approach, more regulation and demands for compliance were sought. The managerial approach appeared to be more bureaucratic than the traditional collegial ethos of universities. Lecturers experienced that their autonomy was being undermined and their academic freedom restricted. Therefore they often resorted to resistance. In this study the literature overview revealed that there is a strong debate as to which approach to quality management is most suited to higher education. A case study was conducted at Helderberg College, which is a private higher education institution in the Western Cape Province. The aim of this study was to explore how lecturers reacted to the concept of quality assurance, but more specifically, which approach to quality management they preferred. The main objective was to establish what lecturers would regard as a suitable quality assurance framework that would contribute to accountability and trust. Findings from the study suggest that there is no single model for quality assurance which would suit every institution, and Helderberg College in particular. The preference indicated by staff was for a collegial approach, which may include elements of managerialism to address the demands for efficiency, whilst protecting the autonomy of the lecturers. Other elements that were identified as likely to promote trust and accountability within a quality assurance framework, were shared vision, consultation, collaboration and involvement in decision-making processes.

by Tung Man Kei. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 82-83). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURE --- p.vi / LIST OF APPENDIXES --- p.vii / PREFACE --- p.viii / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- ISO-9000 Standards --- p.4 / Recent Development of ISO 9000 Standards --- p.6 / Other Quality Standards and Awards --- p.8 / Influence of ISO 9000 --- p.11 / Implementation of ISO 9000 --- p.15 / Chapter III. --- CASE STUDY: PART (A) JEWELLERY INDUSTRY AND ABC JEWELLERY LIMITED --- p.18 / Jewellery Industry in Hong Kong --- p.18 / The ABC Jewellery Limited --- p.20 / Organizational Structure of ABC Jewellery Limited --- p.21 / Production Department --- p.22 / Stone Department --- p.24 / Human Resources Department --- p.24 / Quality and Technology Department --- p.25 / Management Information Department --- p.26 / Marketing Department --- p.26 / Export Department --- p.27 / Financial Situation of ABC Jewellery Limited --- p.28 / Chapter IV. --- CASE STUDY: PART (B) IMPLEMENTATION OF ISO-9002 CERTIFICATE OF A MANUFACTURING COMPANY - ABC JEWELLERY LIMITED --- p.30 / Quality Reform of ABC Jewellery Limited --- p.30 / The MANCOM - A Reform of Management Committee --- p.32 / The Implementation Plan of ISO-9000 of ABC Jewellery Limited --- p.34 / Step 1： Preliminary Goals Setting and Formulation of Action Plan --- p.35 / Step 2: Creation of Mission and Vision Statements --- p.37 / Step 3: Formation of Quality Team --- p.37 / Step 4: Education of Quality Concept --- p.38 / Step 5: Preparation of Quality Manual and Work Procedures - the Business Procedures --- p.40 / Step 6: Reengineering of Business System --- p.43 / Step 7： Registration for ISO-9002 --- p.44 / Problems faced by the Company --- p.45 / Dilemma --- p.53 / Chapter V. --- CASE STUDY: PART (C) LATEST SITUATION OF ABC JEWELLERY LIMITED --- p.54 / Quality and Technology Department --- p.54 / """Quality In Progress"" and Other Quality Improvement Projects in the Company" --- p.55 / Chapter VI. --- CONCLUSION OF THE CASE STUDY --- p.57 / TABLES AND FIGURE --- p.59 / APPENDIXES --- p.63 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.82

by Law Po-yee, Annie and Li Lai-fong. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 51-53). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.iii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.v / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Objective of Study --- p.1 / Scope of Study --- p.2 / Background --- p.2 / Development of ISO 9000 --- p.4 / Concept of ISO 9000 --- p.5 / Chapter II. --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.9 / The Experience of Singapore --- p.9 / The Experience of U.S. and Canada --- p.11 / The Experience of Hong Kong --- p.13 / Chapter III. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.17 / Secondary Data Source --- p.17 / Primary Data Source --- p.21 / Chapter IV. --- FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS --- p.24 / Findings from Questionnaires and Interviews with Respondents --- p.24 / Experience of a Consultant : HKPC --- p.31 / Experience of the Registrar : HKQAA --- p.33 / Limitations --- p.37 / Chapter V. --- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.39 / APPENDIX --- p.46 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.51