Perspectives and Practices of Quality Assurance in Public and Private Host Universities at Work with Cross-border Higher Education Providers in Ethiopia
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Date
2020
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Publisher
AAU
Abstract
This research set out with the aim of exploring perspectives on quality and
practices of quality assurance, and enhancement of host institutions at Work with
CBHE in Ethiopian. The research has collected essential data from internal
participants who are involved in quality assurance. These participants of private
and public higher education institutions intended to pinpoint some of the major
problems and challenges faced and has forwarded some mitigating implications for
the challenges. To meet these objectives, extensive reviews of the literature were
made and as well, theoretical and conceptual frameworks were formulated. Two
host university cases, one public, and one private were operating in collaboration
with CBHE. The selection was based on the participants’ lived experience with
CBHE. An in-depth exploration of the problem was conducted through a
comparative case study approach using a qualitative research design. This design
was selected because it enables us to see through “a wide-and deep-angle lens”
and explore the quality assurance systems in the case study universities. The
research has involved, twenty-two participants from two selected host universities,
(6) quality assurance officers, (6) academic staff, (4) supporting staff, and (6)
students. The selection is purposely done from the two case study universities. The
data were gathered through using carefully prepared interview protocols, semi structured interviews, document reviews, and observation field notes. To
complement the interviews, a review of essential documents and site-visit of host
universities, particularly, resource centres were seen. Within case analysis data
followed by the cross-case analysis were undertaken. Thus, The findings of the
study revealed the fact that there are diverse quality conceptions among
participants, both in public and private cases, and this implies that quality
conceptions are not conclusive. Some of the internal university challenges, for
case-1, that influence quality assurance and enhancement practices, pinpointed by
the research were: lack of writing skill, plagiarism, centralized QA structure.
While, for case-2, student absenteeism in tutorial sessions, a decline in reading
culture, and resource constrictions are identified. Concerning the external
environment, many of the participants in case-1, do not have awareness about the
CBHE guideline of HERQA, whereas, in case-2, participants are aware of the
guidelines. Additionally, the CBHE partner of case-2 is accredited conversely, the
CBHE partner of case-1 works without accreditation. Thus, lack of awareness and
doing in favour of one may affect the quality assurance practices in case-1, than
case-2. Therefore, it should be implied that both case study universities revisit their
academic support services, quality assurance structure, and HERQA needs to treat
both private and public partner CBHE equally, in the accreditation process.
Moreover, MoSHE should provide facilities and financial support to case-2.
Description
Keywords
Cross-Border Higher Education, Quality assurance, Host-universities & Quality enhancement, Quality, Contingency theory and Institutional theory.