Quality Processes in Higher Education in Pakistan and the UK: a Comparative Perspective

Abstract

In an increasingly competitive global market for higher education, systems and processes for assuring standards and quality remain central to the management and leadership of higher education institutions. Institutional and national reputations for excellence in higher education are dependent on effective quality management systems and confidence in quality management processes. This paper will examine some of the key characteristics of quality processes currently in place in Universities in Pakistan and the UK, focusing on how national policies and systems and institutional quality management frameworks shape institutional understandings of academic quality and standards. Central to this analysis will be a consideration of how concepts of quality assurance and quality enhancement are used and implemented in different national and institutional contexts.