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V. Foreign Higher Education and Education Systems, International Relations, Bilateral Relations
B. Essays, Commentaries, Statements
Author HAAPAKORPI, Arja (GEIRSDOTTIR, Gudrun; JOHANNSDOTTIR, Hyda)
Title The usefulness of quality assurance for university management and academic staff : a case study of Finland and Iceland / Arja Haapakorpi, Gudrun Geirsdóttir and Hyda Jóhannsdóttir
Publication year 2013
Source/Footnote In: European journal of higher education. - 3 (2013) 2, S. 206 - 219
Inventory number 34780
Keywords Qualitätssicherung ; Evaluation ; Hochschule : Verwaltung allgemein ; Ausland : Finnland : Hochschulwesen allgemein ; Ausland : Island : Hochschulwesen allgemein
Abstract With quality assurance related to the Bologna goals, universities are required to fulfil internationally accepted standardized criteria of quality. This tends to reinforce control in assessment. However, control-oriented evaluations seem to lack meaning for academic staff. The article explored the possibilities and space for improvement-oriented evaluation within quality assurance processes. The implementation, outcomes and utilization of audits/accreditation processes in three universities in Finland and Iceland are explored. The data consists of documents and interviews. The findings indicate that despite increasing control of universities there is still an opportunity for improvement within the quality assurance processes. Improvement is related to the preparatory phase of the evaluation process, where staff is actively engaged in the process, leading to utilization of outcomes. The external phase with control dominance lacks meaning for staff and has limited utilization. A shortage of credibility regarding assessment is a threat to quality assurance legitimation and utilization. (HRK / Abstract übernommen)