From Quality Management to Excellence in Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

Quality management specific principles are globally adopted by organizations and institutions deploying various activities and belonging to all domains as they prove the permanent focus on clients’ requirements and needs, continuous improvement and trust. The sector of higher education makes no exception to it. Still, around the world critics rise in connection to the real benefits the quality management system brings to universities and higher education processes. Such critics refer to bureaucracy, strict control and standardization, as from the teaching point of view, these are not adding value aspects. Due to the fact that there are still ongoing efforts related to the harmonization of education, and there is a keen competition between the numerous universities across the world, acting globally, various criteria for assessing the quality have been proposed. Yet, a unique methodology for assessing the quality of higher education is not available. The present paper aims to bring in discussion the various facets of educational quality, leading towards excellence of higher education institutions.