The impact of accreditation agencies and other powerful stakeholders on the performance measurement in Polish universities

Developing a generic model of program accreditation in Iran

INTRODUCTION

Higher education plays an important role in the development of countries in social, economic, cultural, and scientific aspects. Also, the field of healthcare is changing rapidly, and to provide better care, health professional students need to be trained at a higher level. This situation has placed demands on academic and clinical settings responsible for training professional health students. The main objectives of this research project can be defined as 1 -to investigate important issues of accreditation and assessment process of health professional education worldwide and 2-to design and develop a uniform, transparent, and scientific accreditation framework for health professional programs in Iran.

METHODS AND MATERIAL

The research methodology for the design of a generic accreditation framework in health professional education is outlined by the following step-by-step (1 to 7) procedure according to the developmental research methodology and three phases considering analysis, development, and evaluation.

RESULTS

The findings of the analysis phase showed that there is no specific structure and process for accreditation in Iran compared to other countries. The three most common actions of the accreditation include the following: 1. self- assessment, 2. peer-review and site visits, and 3. evaluation and reports. A review of the relevant literature and websites indicate that various assessment frameworks have been developed regionally, as well as internationally, to accredit professional health programs. However, most of these frames seem to be non-uniform, too complex, and non-transparent. In addition to these results, three themes were extracted from the interview analysis, "accreditation barrier," "theoretical foundation of accreditation," and "specific structure and process of accreditation" which indicates the need for education at various levels of educational managers and faculty members. Therefore, these issues were taken into consideration in the design of the accreditation framework of health professional educational programs. After two stages of evaluation from the point of view of specialists and experts of the educational secretariats of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, the final version of the program's accreditation framework and policy will be finalized.

CONCLUSION

In Iran, despite the challenges and valuable activities in different educational secretariats, there was no coherent process that can be considered accreditation. In this study, self-study evaluation guide, external evaluation, standard development, and ethical guide for the programs accreditation were developed. The results of this study can help the educational secretariats of the Health and Medical Education Ministry that is based on the documents developed and operationalize their accreditation process and structure.

Performance measurement and management in the British higher education sector

Theoretical enquiry and empirical studies demonstrate the significance of performance management (PM) in the higher education sector and it is a fulcrum for developing a strategic role for people management within universities. In spite of the perceived weaknesses of people management in the higher education sector, in general, the current period of rapid and substantial contextual change may necessitate greater formalisation of HR practices across the British higher education sector. In addition to the changing role of the HR function and line managers, these developments may result in an increasingly stringent performance regime across the sector, especially in more hard-pressed institutions. Through a literature review and a pilot study, this paper attempts to address two main research questions: (i) what are the current performance management practices in the British Higher Education sector? and (ii) what needs to be done to strategically align these practices within HEIs in the UK? This paper discusses the wider literature related to performance management in general and to academic institutions in particular. We also undertook a small-scale qualitative study to explore the views of HR professionals on the need for, and the current performance measurement systems in their universities in the UK. The preliminary findings confirmed that PM is a key issue in the respondents' institutions, with substantial and recent changes in policy. This underscores the need for a large-scale research agenda to capture the current dynamics of change the sector is undergoing. The paper concludes by stimulating a policy debate and placing a number of research calls, along with suggestions on how these research questions may be investigated.

Deepening inequalities: What did COVID-19 reveal about the gendered nature of academic work?

This study discusses the gendered nature of the transformation of academic work, which has been accelerated by the COVID‐19 pandemic. We collected empirical material in spring 2020, at the peak of the pandemic, via 28 interviews with academics in Poland. The results illustrate the far‐reaching and lasting impacts of the pandemic on academia that reinforce existing gender inequalities and bring new ones. The study also reveals the invisible academic work, which is performed mostly by female faculty. This work, neither recognized nor rewarded in the course of women's academic careers, deepens the gendered organization of work in higher education institutions.

Lean Six Sigma and Assurance of Learning (AoL) in higher education: a case study

Purpose

This study aims to present a case study using a Lean Six Sigma (LSS) process to manage the Assurance of Learning (AoL) process in higher education. The case study highlights the value that LSS can bring to the higher education context in respect to making the AoL process more efficient and more effective. The article also illustrates lessons learned in relation to adopting LSS in higher education institutes (HEIs).

Design/methodology/approach

The case study presented is part of a larger undertaking implemented by the Faculty of Economics and Administration (FEA) at King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia to improve its curricula for all its programs as the graduate and undergraduate level in line with the 2013 Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business standards. The FEA project team implemented the AoL process using an LSS methodology – define–measure–analyze–improve–control (DMAIC).

Findings

The experience of the FEA as described in the case study suggests that the DMAIC framework can be very useful in managing the AoL process. Three aspects of LSS used in the AoL context are identified as critical in ensuring that the process achieves its stated institutional goals. Firstly, it is necessary to clearly identify which team members have which areas of responsibility in relation to, for example, sponsoring, implementing, managing and monitoring the project. Secondly, the common language provided by LSS is essential to fostering collaboration among members of a cross-disciplinary team. Lastly, quantifiable priorities should be identified.

Research limitations/implications

The experience of the FEA as described in the case study suggests that the DMAIC framework can be very effective in advancing and managing the AoL process. For example, writing the project charter, mapping the process using the suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, customers model and using various LSS tools and techniques to measure and control the assessment were critical to improving the AoL process.

Practical implications

This paper provides a guide to the range of practices cited in the literature on implementing LSS in relation to AoL as a comprehensive means of assessing, evaluating and improving curriculum design and delivery. The importance of this process to accreditation is explored and recommendations are offered focused on realizing both short- and long-term benefits through the initial assessments and subsequent iterations.

Originality/value

The defining contribution of this paper to the literature is its consideration of LSS implementation in the HEI context through the development and management of the AoL process.