Academic quality, assurance and enhancement

ACADEMIC quality is a phrase often invoked on many occasions by various stakeholders. Parents choose where to enroll their children. In graduate school, the students themselves decide on what university to pursue further studies. These stakeholders would prefer enrolling in a school known for its academic quality. Then too, employers, usually human resource officers, interviewing applicants for job vacancies, associations screening candidates for Board of Trustees membership and where other such choices are made, would ensure that among other qualifications, the alma mater of these individuals are known for their high academic quality. At bottom line, all these examples show that academic quality — the experiences that we were exposed to as students — could give us the needed break for a successful future.

Academic quality. High academic quality, high academic standards, quality education — these are phrases used interchangeably in our conversations. What substance/essentials do these phrases embrace? We start with the term "quality." In the context of a university, quality refers to the "totality of features and characteristics of (educational) service that bear on its ability to satisfy given needs." (American Society for Quality) Quality refers to "an inherent or distinguishing characteristic, a degree or grade of excellence." (Google, Nov. 1, 2001) A university ranking systems research inquired whether there is a global definition of academic quality. (A Cross-National Analysis of University Ranking Systems - https:// www.semanticscholar.org › paper › Is-There-a-Glo...) You may like to read this study which sought answers to two main questions: one, whether there is "an emerging international consensus on the measurement of academic quality as reflected in these ranking systems" and two "what impact the different ranking systems are having on university and academic behavior in their respective countries." Academic quality is defined as "how well learning opportunities [are] available in a university to students [to] help them achieve their award." The "how" is about what the university does to make sure "that appropriate and effective teaching, support, assessment and learning opportunities are provided" to the students. This phrase implies the "effectiveness of learning and teaching methods, opportunities, and resources at guiding students to achieve their degrees." (Google, Feb. 12, 2021)