A ‘Quality Revolution’ Constrained? A Critical Reflection on Quality Assurance Methodology from the South African Higher Education Context

ABSTRACT

This paper attempts a brief meta‐reflection on quality assurance policy and practice in South African higher education, with a focus on methodology. More specifically it seeks to answer the question ‘What are the effects of the Higher Education Quality Committee’s (HEQC) quality assurance technologies on institutional practice and how could they be more effective in achieving its mandate?’ This question is pursued with regard to the failure of the quality assurance system to impact significantly on the graduation rates of African South African students, despite the South African government’s (and thus the HEQC’s) explicit ‘transformation agenda’ for higher education.

Keywords:

• quality assurance
• higher education
• South African higher education
• evaluation methodology
• social realism