From Quality Assurance to Quality Enhancement

The CHE’s Quality Enhancement Project (QEP)

Curriculum Officers’ ForumChris Winberg

5 February 2014

The last round of Quality Audits

The CPUT Audit 2010Quality assurance philosophy;Measurement of achievementsEvidence;Followed by institutional quality improvement plans.

Problems with the last round of audits

• Based on the UK Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) – without taking into account the SA context;

• Inspired by ‘new public management’ processes;

• Not developmental or improvement or enhancement-based

Showed the ‘cracks’ in

the university system…

…and some strenghts….

But didn’t have any effect on student success, throughputs, etc…

Inspiration: Vincent Tinto

‘…access without support is not opportunity…’

Strongly underpinned by a ‘social justice’ philosophy…

The new paradigm: quality enhancement

The Scottish Quality Enhancement process;• Critical reflection;• Peer review;• Contextual awareness

and sensitivity;• On-going, meaningful

engagement with teaching and learning

Characterised by:

1) A longer process (3 -4 years);

2) Inclusiveness (quality is everyone’s responsibility);

3) Accessing the student voice;

4) Theme-based.

Enhancing university teachers

Enhancing student support &

development

Enhancing the learning environment

Enhancing course and programme enrolment

management

Focus areas (or ‘themes’) for Phase 1

What is the role of the curriculum officers?

ReferencesHouston, D. & Paewai, S. 2013. Knowledge, power and meanings shaping quality assurance in higher education: a systemic critique. Quality in Higher Education, 19 (3).Newton, J. 2010. A Tale of Two ‘Qualitys’: reflections on the quality revolution in higher education. Quality in Higher Education, 16 (1).Sachs, J. & Parsell, M. 2014. Peer review of learning and teaching in higher education. Berlin: Springer.Tinto, V. 1982. Leaving college: rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Tinto, V. 2012. Completing college: rethinking institutional action. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.