Stemming from increased levels of participation and diversity of the student base (Biggs & Tang, 2011) and growing scrutiny on the quality of university degrees (Crowley, 2013; Marr, 2013), governments have begun putting in place mechanisms to monitor and support quality in higher education. Over the last few decades, a notion of quality that has gained traction in the scholarly community is that of quality in terms of enhancement and transformation (Cheng, 2017; Houston, 2008; Williams, 2016). Guided by the discourses of Transformative Learning Theory (Mezirow, 2000) and transformative conceptions of quality in higher education (Harvey & Green, 1993), this study examined graduate student learning experiences and perceptions of quality. Of further interest was the extent to which these learners were living the intended transformation that academic programs are seeking to foster. Using a multiple case-study design, Seidman’s (2013) three-stage interview protocol served as primary source of data from a sample of six PhD candidates across three faculties. Secondary data sources included collected documents, a reflexivity journal and field notes. A within-case analysis was performed for each case and compared via a cross-case analysis. Institutional characterizations of quality were examined across 25 artifacts via a document analysis. The four principal factors that characterized the PhD candidate learning experience emerged as the significance of intentional individualized guidance, becoming an independent scholar, the importance of social interactions and community, and the transformative nature of learning. Gaps were identified between institutional intent and the learner experience. However, complementarity between discourses of transformation appeared to offer bridges between the macro-level institutional orientation toward fostering student transformation and the micro-level transformative learning experiences lived by students. The dissertation makes conceptual, methodological and empirical contributions to the domains of postsecondary quality and transformative learning. Implications for policy related to quality assurance as well as practice in program development and doctoral supervision are equally shared.

With globalisation and the rise of the knowledge economy, there has been an increase in demand for higher education worldwide, which has resulted in the proliferation of private higher education institutions (PHEIs). Within this context, issues of quality and quality assurance processes, guided by national policies and frameworks, have become increasingly important. In South Africa, programme accreditation is one form of external quality assurance. Literature reveals several gaps in the understanding of the management of quality assurance in the private higher education sector, and the topic of programme accreditation in relation to PHEIs in South Africa has received scant attention. The research question for this study was: How do PHEIs manage quality assurance as they engage in the process of programme accreditation in South Africa? Exploratory, qualitative research methodology was deemed the most appropriate for this study and twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with quality assurance managers at ten PHEIs in Gauteng. The conceptual framework, adapted from Zaki and Zaki Rashidi (2013), lists eight parameters relevant to the management of quality assurance within PHEIs in South Africa. The findings of this study indicate a general lack of sound governance and management structures at PHEIs, an absence of institutional capacity, and academic leadership that is often deficient. The availability of relevant higher education resources within PHEIs remains a challenge. Concerning external quality assurance, the complexity of quality assurance and higher education legislation and various process-based challenges are some of the most common barriers for South African PHEIs. Recommendations are presented. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Education Management and Policy Studies / M Ed / unrestricted

With globalisation and the rise of the knowledge economy, there has been an increase in demand for higher education worldwide, which has resulted in the proliferation of private higher education institutions (PHEIs). Within this context, issues of quality and quality assurance processes, guided by national policies and frameworks, have become increasingly important. In South Africa, programme accreditation is one form of external quality assurance. Literature reveals several gaps in the understanding of the management of quality assurance in the private higher education sector, and the topic of programme accreditation in relation to PHEIs in South Africa has received scant attention. The research question for this study was: How do PHEIs manage quality assurance as they engage in the process of programme accreditation in South Africa? Exploratory, qualitative research methodology was deemed the most appropriate for this study and twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with quality assurance managers at ten PHEIs in Gauteng. The conceptual framework, adapted from Zaki and Zaki Rashidi (2013), lists eight parameters relevant to the management of quality assurance within PHEIs in South Africa. The findings of this study indicate a general lack of sound governance and management structures at PHEIs, an absence of institutional capacity, and academic leadership that is often deficient. The availability of relevant higher education resources within PHEIs remains a challenge. Concerning external quality assurance, the complexity of quality assurance and higher education legislation and various process-based challenges are some of the most common barriers for South African PHEIs. Recommendations are presented. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Education Management and Policy Studies / MEd / Unrestricted

In this research I investigate the problem of education quality at the faculties of Social Sciences at four Georgian Public Universities. The findings of research are derived through interviewing of professors and document analysis of Georgian legislation concerning higher education and European-level frameworks supporting the enhancement of education quality. I deal with the problem of quality using the mixture of theories. I divided researched topics in three parts: Ideological, Institutional and personal-level. The majority of theoretical claims were disproved in the local context of Georgia. Education quality and knowledge production are multi-faceted problems at Georgian Public Universities, Faculties of Social Sciences and it mainly is related to the scarce state resources allocated to HEIs in general in Georgia.

Die Untersuchung hat zum Hauptziel einerseits, die Qualität der von den ivorischen privaten Hochschulen angebotenen Bildungsdienstleistungen zu ermitteln, und andererseits Wege vorzuschlagen, wie man eine Qualitätshochschule entwickelt. Als langfristiges Ziel sollen Staat und Träger der privaten Hochschulen in der Côte d´Ivoire auf die Notwendigkeit sowie Möglichkeiten einer Qualitätssicherung und -entwicklung in den ivorischen privaten Hochschulen aufmerksam gemacht werden. Der Staat sollte diese privaten Ausbildungseinrichtungen nicht nur als eine Lösung zu dem Problem des Defizits an Bildungseinrichtungen im tertiären Bereich betrachten, sondern sollte sich auch für deren Qualität interessieren. Die Bildungsträger ihrerseits sollten sich als Unternehmen verhalten und die Studierenden als Kunden betrachten, die bereit sind, sich an den Konkurrenten zu wenden, wenn die Qualität mangelhaft erscheint. Daher sollte der Gewinn nicht als Ziel betrachtet werden, sondern nur als ein Mittel zur Sicherung der Qualität der Bildung, die letztendlich das Ziel sein sollte.:Inhaltsverzeichnis Abkürzungsverzeichnis Abbildungsverzeichnis Tabellenverzeichnis 1 Einführung……………………………………………………………………….......................14 1.1 Problembeschreibung………………………………………………………..................14 1.2 Ziele……………………………………………………………………….............................27 1.3 Fragestellungen…………………………………………………………….....................28 1.4 Hypothesen………………………………………………………………….......................28 1.5 Methodisches Vorgehen……………………………………………………................29 2 Kurzer Überblick über die wirtschaftliche bzw. gesellschaftliche Situation und die Bildung in der Côte d´Ivoire………………………………………31 2.1 Wirtschaftliche und gesellschaftliche Situation der Côte d´Ivoire………... ......................................................................................31 2.2 Schulsystem zum Verständnis des Hochschulzugangs……………………...........................................................34 2.2.1 Kurzdarstellung der drei Zyklen des Schulsystems………………......35 2.2.2 Schulpolitik und gesellschaftliche Entwicklungen………………….......38 2.2.3 Die Inkonsequenzen des Schulsystems: Erfolge im primären und sekundären Bereich ohne Folgen im Tertiärbereich………………............... 43 3 Hochschulen in ihrer Funktion der gesellschaftlichen Entwicklung der Côte d´Ivoire………………………………………………………….…….................... 50 3.1 Struktur des ivorischen Hochschulwesens……………………………......……50 3.1.1 Öffentliche Einrichtungen…………………………………………......................50 3.1.2 Private Einrichtungen…………………………………………….......................…57 3.2 Funktion der ivorischen Hochschulen……………………………………............58 3.2.1 Ausbildung der Führungskräfte……………………………………................. 61 3.2.2 Forschung…………………………………………………………............................. 62 3.2.3 Kulturelle bzw. künstlerische Entwicklung………………………... ..........65 3.2.4 Wirtschaftliche Entwicklung………………………………………....................66 3.2.5 Die besondere Funktion der privaten Hochschulen……………….......66 3.2.6 Fazit: Hochschulen als Instrument der gesellschaftlichen und sozi-alen Entwicklung………………………………………….…........................................68 4 Theoretische Ansätze zur Qualitätssicherung und -entwicklung im Hochschulbereich………………………………………………………….....................…69 4.1 Auseinandersetzung mit einem allgemeinen Qualitätsbegriff…………….........................................................................69 4.2 Der Begriff „Qualität“ im Bildungsbereich……………………………...........…78 4.3 Qualitätssicherung und -entwicklung im Bildungsbereich………..……..82 4.4 Qualitätssicherung und -entwicklung im Hochschulbereich………………....................................................................87 4.4.1 Die verschiedenen Ebenen der Qualitätssicherung und -entwicklung in der Hochschulausbildung ……..……………...................89 4.4.2 Anforderungen an die Qualität der Hochschulausbildung..………....91 4.4.3 Verfahren der Qualitätssicherung bzw. -entwicklung im Hochschulbereich………………………………………..……................................108 4.4.4 Qualitätssicherung und -entwicklung im Hochschulbereich ausgewählter Länder…………………………………………..............................…..125 4.4.5 Begründung wachsender Anforderungen an Qualitätssicherung bzw. -entwicklung im Hochschulbereich…………………....……....................135 5 Darstellung und Auswertung der empirischen Untersuchungen………139 5.1 Absicherung der Stichprobenauswahl……………………………………..........44 5.2 Zusammenfassender bewertender Vergleich der ausgewählten Hochschu-len……………………………………………………………….............................50 5.3 Untersuchungsmethodisches Vorgehen zur Ermittlung der Bildungsquali-tät der ausgewählten Hochschulen…………………………......152 5.3.1 Begründung der empirischen Forschungsmethoden und deren Kombination………………………………………………...….....................................153 5.3.2 Die Betrachtung von Qualitätsmerkmalen auf der Potentialebene…………………………………………….…................................154 5.3.3 Die Betrachtung von Qualitätsmerkmalen auf der Prozessebene…………………………………..………….…...............................161 5.3.4 Die Betrachtung von Qualitätsmerkmalen auf der Ergebnisebe-ne……...................................................................................................163 5.4 Darstellung und Diskussion der Ergebnisse……………………………….....165 5.4.1 Darstellung und Diskussion der Ergebnisse auf der Potentialebene…………………………………………............................. 165 5.4.2 Darstellung und Diskussion der Ergebnisse auf der Prozessebene………………………………………............................……...195 5.4.3 Darstellung und Diskussion der Ergebnisse auf der Ergebniseben……………………………………………... ............................203 6 Entwicklung eines Modells von Qualitätshochschule in der Côte d´Ivoire unter Berücksichtigung des ivorischen Umfeldes………...210 6.1 Berücksichtigung des heutigen sozialen Hochschulumfeldes der Côte d´Ivoire………………………………………………………...…......................210 6.2 Entwicklung eines Modells von Qualitätshochschule in der Côte d´Ivoire………………………………………………………....................... 215 6.2.1 Die notwendigen Akteure zur Entwicklung eines Modells priva-ter Qualitätshochschule in der Côte d´Ivoire……………….............................217 6.2.2 Ein geeignetes Qualitätsmanagementsystem für ivorische private Hochschulen………………………………………………………....................................228 7 Zusammenfassung und Ausblick………………………………………………..........237

The purpose of this study was to examine students’ perceptions of quality of online courses as they relate to the IHEP Teaching/Learning Process Benchmarks, Course Structure Benchmarks, and Student Support Benchmarks. The research design for this study was correlational. Out of 3,310 students enrolled in online courses, 97 successfully participated in the study at an urban southeastern university. A survey instrument consisting of three parts was used in this study. Part I of the survey instrument contains 24 Likert Scale questions, examining students’ online learning experiences. Part II of the survey contained four Likert Scale questions, gathering students’ rating on the overall quality of the online course in which they were enrolled. Part III of the survey instrument sought to obtain demographic information from the participants. The research questions were designed to determine students’ perceptions of online course quality distance education and whether a relationship exists between online students’ perception of quality and the operational variables: peer interaction, instructor feedback, course structure, and student support services. Pearson’s r correlation was used to analyze the survey data. After the data were collected and analyzed, the researcher determined that peer interactions, feedback from the instructors, and course structure contribute to predicting students’ perceptions of online course quality in the online courses studied. Students rated the quality of online teaching, online learning and course structure above average to excellent. Students’ perceptions of the quality of student support services were rated the lowest. An examination of the relationship between student perception of course quality and, instructor feedback, peer interaction, course structure, and student support services was also conducted. The results of the examination indicated that moderately statistically significant relationships existed between student perceptions of course quality and each of the three variables. Conclusions and recommendations based on the findings in this study indicated peer interaction, instructor feedback course structures, and student support services contribute to students’ perceptions of online course quality.

The thesis verifies the relationship between education and economic growth using economic theory and current data about education in the Czech Republic. After verifying this relationship the current state and the form of Czech education are analyzed. Demonstration of declining results of Czech primary and secondary education with the usage of international comparative investigations follows together with the detection of the absence of similar data in tertiary education. These findings direct the main goal of the thesis to ascertain the causes of the declining results of primary and secondary schools and their impact on the quality of higher education. Subsequent analysis of the Czech tertiary education identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the higher education system and also positive and negative trends in this area during the last decade. Final identification of the causes determining the current level and quality of tertiary education leads to the submission of recommendations to improve the quality and increase the competitiveness of Czech universities in international comparisons. Providing top quality education is one of the decisive factors influencing the competitiveness and future economic growth of the country.

Socialinės partnerystės principas pabrėžia sąveiką tarp socialinių partnerių, valstybės, darbdavių ir darbuotojų, kuris pasireiškia apibrėžiant valstybės (švietimo institucijų ir įstaigų), darbdavių atstovaujamų susivienijim�� prekybos, pramonės ir amatų rūmų, (Žemės ūkio rūmų) ir darbuotojų (profsąjungų ir kitų sąjungų) pareigas ir atsakomybę planuojant, organizuojant, vykdant ir įverinant priemones ir profesinio rengimo programas. Kadangi Lietuvos profesinio rengimo modelyje valstybė atidavė atsakomybę už profesinio rengimo kokybę profesinio rengimo institucijoms, kurios palaiko artimus ryšius su darbdaviais, štai todėl socialinių partnerių sąvoka yra ribota, turint galvoje, darbdavius. Yra daugybė problemų, susijusių su praktiniu rengimu Lietuvoje, kadangi švietimo institucijų finansavimas yra nepakankamas, praktinio rengimo bazė profesinėje mokykloje atsilieka nuo tų įrengimų ir technologijos, kurias studentai randa, kai ateina į įmones baigę mokyklas. Neturtingą praktinio mokymo bazė galima pakeisti glaudžiu bendravimu su darbdaviais, kokybišku praktiniu rengimu įmonėse. Profesinio rengimo kokybės vertinimas yra vykdomas darbo metu. Nėra vieningos profesinio rengimo kokybės vertinimo sistemos, štai kodėl darbe kalbant apie galiojančius aktus ir dokumentus praktinio rengimo kokybės vertinimo rodikliai ir kriterijai yra atskiri. Kalbant apie šiuos parametrus, empyrinis tyrimas buvo atliktas tam, kad įvertinti darbdavių įtakos praktinio profesinio rengimo kokybei... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The principle of social partnership emphasizes interaction between social partners, the state employers and employees which “manifests itself in defining the state’s (educational institution’s and offices’), employer’s represented by unions (chambers) of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, Chambers of Agriculture) and employee’s (trade unions and other unions) limits of duties and responsibilities planning, organizing, executing and evaluating means and programs of vocational training. Since in the model of vocational training that exists in Lithuania the state delegated responsibility for the quality of vocational training to institutions of vocational training which maintain closest relations which employers, that’s why the nation of social partners is restricted, having in mind, employers. A lot of problems exists in Lithuania concerning practical training since funding of educational institutions is not sufficient, bases of practical training at vocational schools fail to keep pace with equipment and technologies that students find when they come to enterprises after finishing schools. Poor bases of practical education can be substituted by close interaction with employers, qualitative practical training at enterprises. The evaluation of quality of vocational training is executed during work. There’s no unified system of quality evaluation of vocational training, that’s why at work, referring to analysis of valid deeds and documents, indicators and criteria of evaluation of... [to full text]

Disertacinio tyrimo objektas – universitetinių studijų akreditavimo procesas. Nagrinėjant šį objektą, sprendžiama tyrimo problema – universitetinių studijų kokybės vertinimo sistemoje nėra suformuoto visuotinai priimto akreditavimo proceso modelio. Tyrimo problema konkretizuojama probleminiu klausimu – kokia turėtų būti universitetinių studijų akreditavimo proceso modelio struktūra, kad būtų užtikrinta vieša universitetų atskaitomybė ir sudarytos prielaidos palyginamų vertinimo metodologijų formavimui? Tyrimo tikslas – sukurti teorinį universitetinių studijų akreditavimo proceso modelį ir empiriškai patikrinti jo pagrįstumo vertinimą. Šio darbo rezultatų naujumą atskleidžia sukurtas ir teoriškai pagrįstas universitetinių studijų akreditavimo proceso modelis, kuris europinėje studijų kokybės vertinimo sistemoje siūlomas palyginamoms metodologijoms formuoti ir universitetų atskaitomybei užtikrinti. Teoriniu atžvilgiu disertacinis tyrimas atskleidžia universitetinių studijų akreditavimo proceso kompleksiškumą ir išryškina esmines atskirų šio proceso etapų charakteristikas. Praktinis rezultatų reikšmingumas: siūlomas universitetinių studijų akreditavimo proceso modelis bei atskiri jo elementai gali būti sėkmingai taikomi aukštojo mokslo institucijose, siekiant užtikrinti aukštą studijų kokybę; tyrimo procese išryškėjo tobulintini universitetinių studijų akreditavimo proceso aspektai, kuriais remiantis pateikiamos rekomendacijos šiam studijų kokybės vertinimo procesui gerinti. / The object of the research is the accreditation process of university studies. While analysing this object, the problem of the research is being solved – the system of quality assessment of university studies lacks a universally accepted model of accreditation process. The object of the research is made more explicit by the following problematic question: what structure of the university studies accreditation process model should there be to ensure public accountability of universities and to create the background for the formation of comparable evaluation methodologies. The aim of the research is to create a theoretical model of university studies accreditation process and to test its validity assessment empirically. The novelty of the results of this work is evidenced by the worked out and theoretically substantiated model of university studies accreditation process. The model is recommended for the formation of comparable methodologies and university accountability assurance in the European system of study quality assessment. From the theoretical point of view, this doctoral thesis research reveals the complexity of university studies accreditation process and highlights the main characteristics of separate stages of this process. Practical significance: the proposed model of university studies accreditation process and its separate elements can successfully be applied in higher education institutions to ensure high quality of studies; in the course of the research some... [to full text]

With the advent of democracy in South Africa in1994, a plethora of old pieces of legislation and policies have either been revised or new ones promulgated to address the gross inequalities of the apartheid state. In the context of education new policies were designed to improve the standard of education across public schools in the country. One such policy is the Integrated Quality Management System intended to support teachers in achieving quality education. Policy Design and Policy Implementation are separate concepts and it is well known that the intentions of the policy are not always achieved during implementation. It is clear that the State President, Jacob Zuma was cognizant of the disconnection between Policy and Policy Implementation when he stated at a meeting with school Principals in 2009 that “our wonderful policies that we have been implementing since 1994 have not essentially led to the delivery of quality education for the poorest of the poor”. He questioned as to why the policies have failed to deliver excellence and what should be done about it. Further, the Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga in her maiden Budget Speech asserted that: “The findings of Professor Jonathan Jansen’s committee on National Education Evaluation and Development Unit (NEEDU) confirms what we all know, what the view is outside there and reasons for a general lack of public confidence in our education system”. The study explores the extent to which the implementation of the Integrated Quality Management System has indeed led to the delivery of quality education. The Policy was also intended to restore public confidence in the education system and the study aims to explore the extent to which this has been achieved. The Integrated Quality Management System was intended to ensure that the State is obtaining value for the money expended on education, the largest portion being allocated to the salaries of educators. It would appear not to be the case. In this regard, a Report issued by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD 2008) found that international studies have shown that the “returns to investment” in teacher education, or the quality of performance one might expect from learners in return for money spent on educators, is very low in South Africa, to the extent that “low educator productivity has been cited as the main reason for South Africa’s relatively poor performance” It is for the above reason that the National Policy on Whole School Evaluation which includes the Integrated Quality Management System, designed to address the problems of educator performance and poor learner attainment were put under the spotlight. The success of Policy Implementation, and the possible adaptation of existing policies to ensure that the desired results are achieved are also investigated in the study. Recommendations are made as to how policy might be reviewed or changed. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.