Rethinking built-in quality in higher education: Strategies for success

Abstract

The modern concept of quality, which evolved from the original “fitness for purpose” or “exceptional nature with zero defects” to a “process of transformation providing value for money”, is now considered a desirable attribute of every human activity including higher education. However, unlike the industrial model of quality where precise control is expected of its product, in the role of Universities and Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) as providers of knowledge generation or innovation, the concept of quality is applied to the education service and not only to the output of the process - it is graduate. Hence, the concept of quality in higher education has to be viewed for its multi-dimensional nature, which encompasses all its functions and activities including teaching/ learning, research, and community service.