EXPLORING INNOVATIVE AND EFFECTIVE METHODS FOR IQA– RESEARCH FRAMEWORK

CIES Conference, Vancouver6-10 March 2016

MICHAELA MARTIN, IIEP Programme Specialist

An IIEP research project

THIS PANEL The IIEP research project on «

Exploring innovative and effective solutions for internal quality assurance (IQA)»

The case of IQA at Xiamen University A comparative overview on the

research findings A commentary on the project

1. Introduction « Quality crisis » in higher education since

1980s International trend : External Quality

Assurance (EQA) Since 2000, EQA is a major focus of research

and capacity development at the UNESCO/IIEP But without IQA, no sustainable quality

improvement IQA therefore is a major reform strand in HE worldwide

2. Variation in definition of IQA

Internal Quality Assurance: procedures and instruments which measure whether a higher education institution is in line with external standards and its own development goals in its fields of activities (UNESCO).

IQA refers to quality enhancement processes if they are directly derived from measurement procedures and instruments (ESG)

IQA systems are an integrated whole which together support quality policy and institutional goals (IIEP).

3. Major Challenges Articulation of IQA instruments among each other Articulation of IQA with strategic planning,

management Balance between centralized and decentralized

structures Information systems, data management and

analytical capacities Human and financial resource constraints

4. Three major research questions What are innovative and effective options for IQA

policy, structures, processes and instruments ? What are the effects of such IQA systems on

the quality and relevance of academic programmes (employability of graduates), and

managerial effectiveness ? What internal and external factors condition the

effective functioning of IQA systems?

6. Research methodologyCase study research design Better understand IQA systems within

their national and institutional contexts Exploratory and descriptive design Mixed methods data collection process

to study the effects

7. IIEP’s role in the project IIEP set the research framework IIEP selected identified the universities

selected as case studies and the research teams

IIEP prepared the research instruments and discussed methodology with the research teams

IIEP accompanied the preparation of the case studies, organized a research validation workshop

8. Primary Data sourcesIntegrated qualitative and quantitative design Online surveys of academic and administrative staff on

perceptions of the local IQA system, their effects and conditioning factors

Semi-structured interviews with key actors Central and middle level academic and

administrative decision-makers Focus group discussions

Head of departments with selected programme directors Students

9. Secondary Data sources Content analysis of official documents to

document effects EQA Reports (e.g. institutional or programme

accreditation) University annual reports University statistics Reports produced by IQA structure

Triangulation of different actors’ perspectives Triangulation of perceptions and secondary

data sources

10. Selection of eight university case studies

Europe:▪ University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany▪ Economics University of Vienna, Austria

Asia:▪ Xiamen University, China▪ International American University of Bangladesh

Anglophone Africa:▪ Daystar University, Kenya ▪ University of the Free State, South Africa

Latin America region:▪ Talca University, Chile

Arab region:▪ University of Bahrain

11. Scope and limitations Focus on IQA mainly in the domain of

T&L and management, not on research Actors’ perceptions only a proxy for

change, not impact assessment Case study design does not produce

generalizable results, however insights into the effective functioning of IQA methods in specific contexts