Can the total quality management approach used in industry be transferred to institutions of higher education?

ABSTRACT

This article looks at the possibility of applying the commercial concepts and principles of total quality management to an institution of further or higher education. It considers the effects of total quality management on the institutions and their internal systems, users and the needs of external stake holders, and the different quality criteria that may be applied by each. It is suggested that adopting a total quality management approach within an institution would bring wider benefits than might at first appear achievable. The industrial/commercial quality assurance model based on the BS 5750/ISO 9000 standards is also considered in relation to education as a vehicle for achieving the overall aims of a quality output from education.