SpringerLink
Log in

The importance and degree of implementation of the European standards and guidelines for internal quality assurance in universities: the views of Portuguese academics

  • Article
  • Published:
Tertiary Education and Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This research seeks to explore academics’ perceptions of the importance and degree of implementation of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) for internal quality assurance. It uses empirical evidence from Portugal, gathered via a questionnaire given to all university academics. Results show academics’ perceptions of the importance and implementation of the ESG in their institutions to be quite positive. Nevertheless, academics tend to find the standards more important than effectively implemented. Furthermore, significant differences in perceptions emerge between groups of academics. This study intends to contribute to a better understanding of the implementation of quality management practices in universities, and the influence of the ESG in this process.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Germany)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Becher, T., & Trowler, P. (2001). Academic tribes and territories: Intellectual enquiry and the cultures of disciplines. Buckingham: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bell, E., & Taylor, S. (2005). Joining the club: The ideology of quality and business school badging. Studies in Higher Education, 30, 239–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berlin Communiqué. (2003). Realising the European Higher Education Area. Communiqué of the Conference of Ministers responsible for Higher Education. Retrieved from https://doi.org/www.ehea.info

    Google Scholar 

  • Cardoso, S., Rosa, M. J., & Santos, C. (2013). Different academics’ characteristics, different perceptions on quality assessment? Quality Assurance in Education, 21, 96–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cartwright, M. (2007). The rhetoric and reality of “quality” in higher education — An investigation into staff perceptions of quality in post-1992 universities. Quality Assurance in Education, 15, 287–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, B. (1986). The higher education system: Academic organization in cross-national perspective. Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • ENQA. (2009). Standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area (3rd ed.). Helsinki: European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gornitzka, A., Kyvik, S., & Stensaker, B. (2005). Implementation analysis in higher education. In A. Gornitzka, M. Kogan, & A. Amaral (Eds.), Reform and change in higher education. Analysing policy implementation (Vol. 8, pp. 35–56). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, L. (2006). Impact of quality assurance: Overview of a discussion between representatives of external quality assurance agencies. Quality in Higher Education, 12, 287–290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huusko, M., & Ursin, J. (2010). Why (not) assess? Views from the academic departments of Finnish universities. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 35, 859–869.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleijnen, J., Dolmans, D., Willems, J., & van Hout, H. (2011). Does internal quality management contribute to more control or to improvement of higher education?: A survey on faculty’s perceptions. Quality Assurance in Education, 19, 141–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohoutek, J. (2014). European standards for quality assurance and institutional practices of student assessment in the UK, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 39, 310–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohoutek, J., & Westerheijden, D. (2014). Opening up the black box. In H. Eggins (Ed.), Drivers and barriers to achieving quality in higher education (pp. 167–175). Rotterdam: Sense.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Loukkola, T., & Zhang, T. (2010). Examining quality culture: Part 1 — Quality assurance processes in higher education institutions. Brussels: European University Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luke, C. (1997). Quality assurance and women in higher education. Higher Education, 33, 433–451.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morley, L. (2005). Opportunity or exploitation? Women and quality assurance in higher education. Gender and Education, 17, 411–429.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Motova, G., & Pykkö, R. (2012). Russian higher education and European standards of quality assurance. European Journal of Education, 47, 25–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newton, J. (2002). Views from below: Academics co** with quality. Quality in Higher Education, 8, 39–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prikulis, A., Rusakova, A., & Rauhvargers, A. (2013). Internal quality assurance policies and systems in European higher education institutions. Journal of the Higher Education Area, 4, 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prikulis, A., Rusakova, A., & Rauhvargers, A. (2014). From central regulation to quality culture: The Latvian case. In H. Eggins (Ed.), Drivers and barriers to achieving quality in higher education (pp. 143–152). Rotterdam: Sense.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rosa, M., & Amaral, A. (2014). The Portuguese case: New public management reforms and the European standards and guidelines. In H. Eggins (Ed.), Drivers and barriers to achieving quality in higher education (pp. 153–166). Rotterdam: Sense.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rosa, M., & Sarrico, C. S. (2012). Quality, evaluation and accreditation: From steering, through compliance, on to enhancement and innovation? In A. Amaral & G. Neave (Eds.), Higher education in Portugal 1974–2009. A nation, a generation (pp. 249–264). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosa, M., Sarrico, C. S., & Amaral, A. (2012). Academics’ perceptions on the purposes of quality assessment. Quality in Higher Education, 18, 349–366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosa, M. J., Tavares, D., & Amaral, A. (2006). Institutional consequences of quality assessment. Quality in Higher Education, 12, 145–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarrico, C. S., & Rosa, M. (2014). Student satisfaction with Portuguese higher education institutions: The view of different types of students. Tertiary Education and Management, 20, 165–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarrico, C. S., Veiga, A., & Amaral, A. (2013a). Quality, management and governance in European higher education institutions. Journal of the Higher Education Area, 4, 47–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarrico, C. S., Veiga, A., & Amaral, A. (2013b). The long road — How evolving institutional governance mechanisms are changing the face of quality in Portuguese higher education. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 25, 375–391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sin, C., & Manatos, M. J. (2014). Student assessment in Portugal: Academic practice and Bologna policy. Higher Education Policy, 27, 323–340.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stensaker, B., Langfeldt, L., Harvey, L., Huisman, J., & Westerheijden, D. (2011). An in-depth study on the impact of external quality assurance. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 36, 465–478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stensaker, B., Välimaa, J., & Sarrico, C. S. (2012). Introduction: How is change in higher education managed? In B. Stensaker, J. Välimaa, & C. S. Sarrico (Eds.), Managing reform in universities: The dynamics of culture, identity and organisational change (pp. 81–97). Basingstoke: Palgrave.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Trowler, P. (2002). Higher education policy and institutional change: Intentions and outcomes in turbulent environments. Buckingham: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trowler, P., Saunders, M., & Knight, P. (2003). Change thinking, change practices. A guide to change for heads of department, programme leaders and other change agents in higher education. York: LTSN Generic Centre.

    Google Scholar 

  • Veiga, A., Rosa, M., Dias, D., & Amaral, A. (2013). Why is it difficult to grasp the impacts of the Portuguese quality assurance system? European Journal of Education, 48, 454–470.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veiga, A., & Sarrico, C. S. (2014). Changes in governance: Do they help overcome barriers to the implementation of the European standards and guidelines for quality assurance in higher education? In H. Eggins (Ed.), Drivers and barriers to achieving quality in higher education (pp. 67–81). Rotterdam: Sense.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Westerheijden, D., Hulpiau, V., & Waeytens, K. (2007). From design and implementation to impact of quality assurance: An overview of some studies into what impacts improvement. Tertiary Education and Management, 13, 295–312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westerheijden, D., & Kohoutek, J. (2014). Implementation and translation: From European standards and guidelines for quality assurance to education quality work in higher education institutions. In H. Eggins (Ed.), Drivers and barriers to achieving quality in higher education (pp. 1–12). Rotterdam: Sense.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ISEG Lisbon School of Economics & Management, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal

    Maria J. Manatos & Cláudia S. Sarrico

  2. CIPES Centre for Research in Higher Education Policies, Porto, Portugal

    Maria J. Manatos, Maria J. Rosa & Cláudia S. Sarrico

  3. DEGEI Department of Economics, Management and Industrial Engineering, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

    Maria J. Rosa

Authors
  1. Maria J. Manatos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Maria J. Rosa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Cláudia S. Sarrico
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cláudia S. Sarrico.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Manatos, M.J., Rosa, M.J. & Sarrico, C.S. The importance and degree of implementation of the European standards and guidelines for internal quality assurance in universities: the views of Portuguese academics. Tert Educ Manag 21, 245–261 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1080/13583883.2015.1061587

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13583883.2015.1061587

Keywords

Search

Navigation