The role of engineering laboratories in the establishment of a quality culture in higher education in Greece

Abstract

An academic legislative reform of the public university sector was recently initiated in Greece (since 2005). It was designed to respond to the requirements of convergence to a common frame of the European Space of Higher Education. This reform found significant resistance from university personnel and students, resulting in a very slow degree of implementation. A careful examination of possible causes for the slow pace of reform usually points to the reluctance of a significant part of the academic and administrative personnel (tenured public service employees), to follow quality assurance procedures and undergo performance evaluation. Engineering schools, on the other hand, are more apt to adopt such principles, since they are taught in engineering curricula and widely applied in industry and services sectors. In this paper, the authors comparatively describe their experience in applying basic quality principles and practices to the university laboratory environment, motivated by cooperation with industry. The comparative discussion adds insight to the reasons for the resistance of the public higher education sector to quality assurance procedures and indicates specific directions to enhance the dissemination of quality culture in engineering faculties. After two decades of experience with the application and introduction of quality structures in the university and industry, the authors believe that engineering laboratories are a valuable tool in initiating and establishing a quality culture in the Greek higher education system.

Keywords:

• engineering laboratory
• quality culture
• university–industry cooperation

Acknowledgements

The second author (A.M. Stamatelos), would like to thank the Greek Ministry of National Education for its generous financial support to the frame of the program for the reform of Undergraduate Studies (EPEAEK II – European Union) in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Thessaly, which he managed in the period 2003–2008.