Double-edged sword in the quality assurance toolkit: uncovering the influence of self-study on higher education institutions in francophone West Africa

ABSTRACT

Policy discussions related to higher education in sub-Saharan Africa often include concerns related to quality. Rather than being an abstract characteristic, quality of higher education is the result of a series of actions and practices, and yet there is limited research on the practices associated with quality in higher education in Africa. This article explores the practice of self-study in West African higher education institutions. After conducting 21 semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders from four public and private institutions in the West African region, which were selected on the basis of their respective strength in quality culture, the study suggests that protecting one’s institutional image can have a significant impact on the uses of self-study. Research participants, regardless of weak or strong quality cultures, were very sensitive about, and even protective of, institutional self-image. The pursuit of a strong institutional image resulted in substantive changes within stronger cultures, or cosmetic changes, among weaker cultures. Having weighed the evidence collected in the study, we argue that the link between self-study and academic activities, including teaching and learning, is weak at best. This study serves as a reminder that self-study is an instrument and therefore its uses are subject to revision and improvement.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-study
• quality assurance
• higher education
• West Africa

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.