Quality Assurance and the Imperatives for Improved Student Experiences in Higher Education: The Case of the University of the West Indies

Abstract

This paper critically examines the outcomes of quality assurance programme reviews on the three campuses of the University of the West Indies (UWI) with an emphasis on the factors that impact upon the quality of students' learning experiences. In establishing the context of the discussion, the authors describe the quality assurance system of the UWI and discuss specific issues such as pedagogic pluralism; assessment; collaboration and stakeholder involvement and resources considered to be imperatives for improving students' experiences in higher education. Strategies that the UWI is in the process of implementing to address these issues are highlighted. The authors have found that the academic staff of the UWI are increasingly implementing the recommendations of review teams and that this is, in part, facilitated by the university's monitoring mechanism. Actions taken to respond to these recommendations are contributing to the enhancement of teaching and learning but sustainability of this is dependent upon the success of the measures to be taken to address the critical issue of resources.

Keywords:

• Quality assurance
• the University of the West Indies
• resources
• managing students' learning experience
• outcomes‐based planning
• assessment
• supporting and guiding students