(Re)-reforming external quality assurance in higher education – the Finnish case

ABSTRACT

In this article, we analyse reforms of academic quality assurance in light of organizational theory using the case example of Finnish higher education. Our purpose is to shed light on the processes behind repeated reforms and the motivation to continuously modify quality models that have only been in use for a relatively short period of time. In our discussion, we propose interpreting the continuous change and strong differentiation of quality management in a positive light. The development, alteration, and promotion of quality management can be considered an attempt at continuous self-improvement; they also significantly contribute to (reform-driven) communication about quality. The changes also serve a number of other functions, which we discuss in the final section of our paper.

KEYWORDS:

• Quality assurance
• Bologna process
• Finland
• higher education reforms

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Jasmin Overberg graduated in educational sciences and works now as a research assistant at the Department of Continuing Education and Education Management at the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg. Her doctoral dissertation is about perspectives on internal and external quality assurance in higher education institutions. Jasmin’s working focus lies in the field of quality assurance in competence-based higher education and in quality criteria for study programmes for non-traditional students.

Pia Lehmkuhl graduated in law and economic sciences. She works as a research assistant and member of the academic staff at the Department of Continuing Education and Education Management at the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg. Her teaching and research focus on management and leadership of public organizations and higher education institutions, especially in the fields of project management, HRM and organizational development.

Marcel Schütz is a research fellow at the Northern Business School Hamburg (Business Administration) and a research associate and member of the academic staff at the Department of Continuing Education and Education Management at the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg. His teaching and research focus on organizational studies, project and human resource management.

Heinke Röbken is a Professor for Educational Management at the University of Oldenburg. Her teaching and research focus on the management and leadership of school organizations and higher education institutions. Formerly, she has worked at different national and international research institutions, including the School of Education at the University of Wuppertal, the Center for Studies in Higher Education (UC Berkeley), The Centre for Higher and Adult Education (Stellenbosch University) and the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Chicago. Currently, she is involved in research on reforms in educational organizations and public administration.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 This paper uses the term ‘higher education institutions’ (HEIs for short) or ‘universities’ to refer to both research universities and universities of applied sciences.

2 This paper uses the acronym FINHEEC to refer to operations before 2014 and FINEEC to refer to operations after 2014 as well as operations which began before 2014 but continued afterwards.

3 Even though

[p]assing or failing an audit has no impact on recognition of degrees awarded or on funding. Decisions on these matters are made by the Ministry of Education and Culture through legislation and the four-year performance agreements, which have no explicit link to the quality audits or involvement of the QA agency. (Gover and Loukkola 2018, S. 15)