Towards institutional ‘quality education’ policies in higher education: a schema for their implementation

ABSTRACT

This paper reviews issues about quality including the United Kingdom government’s statements (White Papers of 2011 and 2016) and the development of audits. Institutional educational policies could provide the basis for quality enhancement centred around the White Papers. The development of a ‘quality framework’ or schema for the production of higher educational policies is presented and explored. Quality provision, of various types, reside in this schema that integrates aspects such as degree structures and educational components in an overall pedagogic framework. Ancillary provision, such as information and computer facilities and learning spaces, are also part of this structure. Academic subject areas are covered by benchmark statements but should be associated with principles for active learning and assessment as the Teaching Excellence Framework is extended in 2020.

KEYWORDS:

• Higher education
• teaching quality
• teaching excellence framework
• institutional quality
• active learning
• national survey of student engagement

Acknowledgments

I thank Professor Art Chickering for permission to quote his work and for discussion on the implementation of the ‘7 principles’ and Professor George Kuh and Dr Jillian Kinzie for discussion and information about the NSSE. Two referees and the editors made useful contributions to this paper.

This paper is dedicated to the late Professor Michael Bradford, National Teaching Fellow, The University of Manchester.

Disclosure statement

I have received no research funding for this work. I have no financial, commercial, legal, or professional relationships with organisations or employees relating to the subject matter discussed in the manuscript. I have no relationships that might be viewed as presenting potential conflicts of interest.