Quality assurance refers to a system of maintaining standards in relation to required standards. The need for quality control in higher education arises on account of the following:
- ever increasing number of students
- increasing competition due to privatization
- access to education through internet
- limited resources
- inadequate involvement of students in teaching-learning
- lack of systematic internal monitoring and review procedure
- lack of good faculty
- Lack of generic skills of decision making, problem solving, creativity, independence, adaptability, learning to learn, etc. among students.
- Increasing cost of education
- Ingredients of Quality
Some of the specific criteria used to assess quality are:
- Quality of curriculum design and content
- Quality of instruction and teaching
- Quality of faculty – student relationship
- Quality of learning facility
- Quality of infrastructure
- Quality of innovation
Improving quality of courses, material input, instructional processes, resources, management processes and structures as well as student support services, output and linkages with world of work and other organizations are necessary.
Some of the important components are:
- Encouraging multidisciplinary and skill oriented learning.
- Restructuring of courses
- Revamping the contents
- Emphasizing skill development
- Promoting employability.
With regard to course content is there a mechanism to review it regularly, update it and check its relevance constantly? What are the specially designed learning activities? Is restructuring possible? If so does it take place? Is there clarity on course objectives?
With regard to teaching/ learning, are there opportunities for facilitated student – faculty interaction? Is there a mechanism for constructive and timely feedback? Is the use of newer techniques promoted?
With regard to course structure, is there clarity on course objectives? Do the students and teachers have access to library and internet? Are seminars and assignments part of the curriculum structure? Do the students receive handouts, study materials, etc? Do the teachers use transparencies and other modern modes of communication?
With regard to evaluation, do the students receive the answer scripts? Are the teachers open to incorporate different methods of evaluation? Are the teachers prepared to receive feed back from students and peers? Are quality teachers recruited? What is the quality of the non-teaching staff? What is the perception of the public? Is there a social audit? What do the press and alumni say? Are merit, creativity and excellence recognized and encouraged?
In a nutshell, identifying customer needs, specifying quality standards, benchmarking, analyzing existing system, planning for improvement, implementation of improvement plans, monitoring and evaluation and modification of plans as and when needed are the hallmarks of quality assurance.
About Author
Dr.R.SRINIVASAN is a Post graduate in commerce and Management. He received his doctoral degree from Alagappa University in 1997. He currently teaches financial management and Research Methodology Subjects in Post graduate and Research Department of Corporate Secretaryship at Bharathidasan Government College for Women (Autonomous), Pondicherry University, Puducherry. Before Joining BGCW, he was teaching in SNR College, Coimbatore, Sindhi college, Chennai& T.S.Narayanasamy College, Chennai for eight years. He was with the industry for a short term at Salzar Electronics Pvt. Ltd, Coimbatore. He has about 20 years of teaching experience and having research experience of 15 years. His interests are in Accounting and finance, Capital Market, Quantitative Methods. He underwent the Faculty Development Programme at Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad during 2000-01. He has presented 20 papers in national and international conferences and has published twenty papers in the areas of Finance and Human resource Management in National Journals. Co-authored a book titled, ‘Investors Protection, published by Raj Publications, New Delhi He has delivered lectures in contemporary finance topics at Pondicherry University. He is involved in consultancy projects for Godrej Saralee, Chennai in the areas of Statistical Applications. He has supervised a number of research projects in the area of corporate finance and Human Resource Management. He is the Board of examiner in corporate Secretaryship and Management for the past two decades.
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