Governing Quality: Positioning Student Learning as a Core Objective of Institutional and System-Level Governance
In: International Journal of Chinese EducationSearch for other papers by Glen A. Jones in
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Google Scholar
Abstract
How do we govern quality in higher education? “Governance” and “quality” are wicked problems in higher education policy, and there is frequently a disconnect between the formal governance structures and decision-making processes of the university, and the discussion of quality in terms of student learning. Drawing on recent studies of university governance in Canada (and elsewhere), the author argues that institutional governance arrangements often avoid issues of quality in teaching and learning. The author argues that student learning must be positioned as a core objective within institutional and system-level governance arrangements, and that it is only through in-depth institutional and system-level engagement in the discussion of educational quality that sustained and broadly-based quality improvement can take place. Enhancing quality must be a key objective of governance reform.
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Amaral Alberto, Jones Glen A. & Karseth Berit Amaral Alberto, Jones Glen A. & Karseth Berit “Governing Higher Education: Comparing National Perspectives.” Governing Higher Education: National Perspectives on Institutional Governance 2002 Dordrecht Kluwer Academic Publishers 279 298
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Aghion Philippe, Dewatripont Mathias, Hoxby Christine M., Mas-Colell Andreu & Sapir Andre “The governance and performance of research universities: Evidence from Europe and the U.S.” 2009 NBER Working Paper, No. 14851, http://www.nber.org/papers/w14851.pdf?new_window=1
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Dill David D. & Beerkens Maarja Dill David D. & Beerkens Maarja “Reflections and Conclusions.” Public Policy for Academic Quality: Analyses of Innovative Policy Instruments 2010 Dordrecht Springer 313 335
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Ewell Peter Westerheijden Don F., Stensaker Bjorn & Rosa Maria Joao “The ‘Quality Game’: External Review and Institutional Reaction Over Three Decades in the United States.” Quality Assurance in Higher Education: Trends in Regulation, Translation and Transformation 2007 Dordrecht Springer 119 153
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Harvey Lee & Williams James “Fifteen Years of Quality in Higher Education.” Quality in Higher Education 2010 16 1 3 36
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Jones Glen A. Amaral Alberto, Jones Glen A. & Karseth Berit “The Structure of University Governance in Canada: A Policy Network Approach.” Governing Higher Education: National Perspectives on Institutional Governance 2002 Dordrecht Kluwer Academic Publishers 213 234
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Jones Glen A. Forest James J. F. & Altbach Philip G. “Canada.” International Handbook of Higher Education 2006 Dordrecht, The Netherlands Springer 627 645
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Jones Glen A. “Governanda la educación superior: temas y problemas actuales (Governing Higher Education: Current Trends and Issues).” Revista International Magisterio (in Spanish) 2010 45 40 45
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Jones Glen A., Shanahan Theresa & Goyan Paul “The Academic Senate and University Governance in Canada.” Canadian Journal of Higher Education 2004 34 2 35 68
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Pennock Lea, Jones Glen A., Leclerc Glen A. & Li Sharon S. “Academic Senates and University Governance in Canada: Changes in Structure and Perceptions of Senate Members.” 2012 Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Consortium of Higher Education Researchers September 10-12 Belgrade, Serbia
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Rittel Horst W. J. & Webber Melvin M. “Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning.” Policy Science 1973 4 155 169
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Ross John “Backing Off on Higher Ed Regulation.” Inside Higher Education 2013 August 9 http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/08/09/australia-signals-plan-curtail-higher-education-regulation.
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Stensaker Bjorn & Harvey Lee “Old Wine in New Bottles? A Comparison of Public and Private Accreditation Schemes in Higher Education.” Higher Education Policy 2006 19 1 65 85
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Stensaker Bjorn, Rosa Maria Joao & Westerheijden Don F. Westerheijden Don F., Stensaker Bjorn & Rosa Maria Joao “Conclusions and Further Challenges.” Quality Assurance in Higher Education 2007 Dordrecht Springer 247 262
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3
Rittel and Webber, “Dilemmas,” 160-166. Rittel and Webber discuss ten characteristics of wicked problems but I have provided a much more simplified list for the purposes of this paper.
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Bjorn Stensaker and Lee Harvey, “Old Wine in New Bottles? A Comparison of Public and Private Accreditation Schemes in Higher Education,” Higher Education Policy 19, no.1 (2006): 65-85.
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John Ross, “Backing Off on Higher Ed Regulation,” Inside Higher Education, August 9, 2013, http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/08/09/australia-signals-plan-curtail-higher-education-regulation.
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Peter Ewel, “The ‘Quality Game’: External Review and Institutional Reaction Over Three Decades in the United States,” in Quality Assurance in Higher Education: Trends in Regulation, Translation and Transformation, ed. Don F. Westerheijden, Bjorn Stensaker and Maria Joao Rosa (Dordrecht: Springer, 2007), 123-126.
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Glen A. Jones, “Canada,” in International Handbook of Higher Education, ed. James J. F. Forest and Philip G. Altbach (Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer, 2006), 627-645.
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Glen A. Jones, “The Structure of University Governance in Canada: A Policy Network Approach,” in Governing Higher Education: National Perspectives on Institutional Governance, ed. Alberto Amaral, Glen A. Jones and Berit Karseth (Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers 2002), 213-234.
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Governing Quality: Positioning Student Learning as a Core Objective of Institutional and System-Level Governance
In: International Journal of Chinese EducationSearch for other papers by Glen A. Jones in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
How do we govern quality in higher education? “Governance” and “quality” are wicked problems in higher education policy, and there is frequently a disconnect between the formal governance structures and decision-making processes of the university, and the discussion of quality in terms of student learning. Drawing on recent studies of university governance in Canada (and elsewhere), the author argues that institutional governance arrangements often avoid issues of quality in teaching and learning. The author argues that student learning must be positioned as a core objective within institutional and system-level governance arrangements, and that it is only through in-depth institutional and system-level engagement in the discussion of educational quality that sustained and broadly-based quality improvement can take place. Enhancing quality must be a key objective of governance reform.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 273 | 57 | 8 |
| Full Text Views | 146 | 3 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 32 | 8 | 0 |