Skip to main content

European Trends in Quality Assurance: New Agendas beyond the Search for Convergence?

  • Chapter

Part of the book series: Issues in Higher Education ((IHIGHER))

Abstract

While external quality assurance (EQA) can be seen as one of the most visible results of European integration through the Bologna process in the last few decades, new developments might question whether the field of quality assurance is actually driven by the search for convergence at the European level. This chapter identifies some current trends in EQA, indicates possible implications, and discusses whether EQA is at a critical stage in its developmental phase.

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

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Brunsson, N., Jacobsson, B. and associates (2000) A World of Standards (Oxford: Oxford University Press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Brennan, J. and Shah, T. (2000) Managing Quality in Higher Education: An International Perspective on Institutional Assessment and Change (Buckingham: Open University Press).

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Andrea, V.M. and Gosling, D. (2005) Improving Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: A Whole Institutional Approach (Maidenhead: Open University Press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dill, D.D. and Beerkens, M. (2010) Public Policy for Academic Quality (Dordrecht: Springer).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • ENQA (2008) Quality Procedures in the European Higher Education Area and Beyond — Second ENQA Survey (Helsinki: ENQA).

    Google Scholar 

  • ENQA (2012) Quality Procedures in the European Higher Education Area and Beyond — Third ENQA Survey (Brussels: ENQA).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ewell, J. (2008) US Accreditation and the Future of Quality Assurance (Washington DC: The Council for Higher Education Accreditation).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, E. (2004) ‘The European Union in the age of accountability’, Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, 24(4), 495–515.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenwood, R., Raynard, M., Kodeih, F., Micelotta, E.R. and Lounsbury, M. (2011) ‘Institutional complexity and organizational responses’, Academy of Management Annals, 5(1), 317–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levi-Faur, D. (2011) ‘Regulatory networks and regulatory agencification: Towards a single European regulatory space’, Journal of European Public Policy, 18(6), 810–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Massy, W.F. (2003) Honoring the Trust: Quality and Cost Containment in Higher Education (Bolton, Massachusetts: Anker Publishing).

    Google Scholar 

  • Newton, J. (2000) ‘Feeding the beast or improving quality? Academics’ perceptions of quality assurance and quality monitoring’, Quality in Higher Education, 6(2), 153–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olssen, M. and Peters, M.A. (2005) ‘Neoliberalism, higher education and the knowledge economy: From the free market to knowledge capitalism’, Journal of Educational Policy, 20(3), 313–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Power, M. (2007) Organized Uncertainty: Designing a World of Risk Management (Oxford: Oxford University Press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosa, M.J., Tavares, D. and Amaral, A. (2006) ‘Institutional consequences of quality assessment’, Quality in Higher Education, 12(1), 145–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rozsnyai, C. (2003) ‘Quality assurance before and after Bologna in the Central and Eastern Region of the European Higher Education Area with a focus on Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland’, European Journal of Education, 38(3), 271–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarz, S. and Westerheijden, D.F. (eds) (2004) Accreditation and Evaluation in the European Higher Education Area (Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stensaker, B. (2003) ‘Trance, transparency and transformation. The impact of external quality monitoring in higher education’, Quality in Higher Education, 9(2), 151–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stensaker, B. (2011) ‘Accreditation of higher education in Europe — Moving towards the US-model?’, Journal of Educational Policy, 26 (4), 757–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stensaker, B. and Harvey, L. (2011) Accountability in Higher Education (New York: Routledge).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stensaker, B., Harvey, L., Huisman, J., Langfeldt, L. and Westerheijden, D.F. (2010) ‘The impact of the European standards and guidelines in agency evaluations’, European Journal of Education, 45(4), 577–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westerheijden, D.F. (2001) ‘Ex oriente lux? National and multiple accreditation in Europe after the fall of the wall and after Bologna’, Quality in Higher Education, 7(1), 65–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westerheijden, D.F. (1999) ‘Where are the quantum jumps in quality assurance? Developments of a decade of research on a heavy particle’, Higher Education, 38(2), 233–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westerheijden, D.F., Brennan, J. and Maassen, P.A.M. (eds) (1994) Changing Contexts of Quality Assessment (Utrecht: Lemma/CHEPS).

    Google Scholar 

  • Westerheijden, D.F., Stensaker, B. and Rosa, M.J. (eds) (2007) Quality Assurance in Higher Education (Dordrecht: Springer).

    Google Scholar 

  • Westerheijden, D.F., Stensaker, B., Rosa, M.J. and Corbett, A. (2014) ‘Next generations, catwalks, random walks and arms races: Conceptualising the development of quality assurance schemes’, European Journal of Education.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Copyright information

© 2014 Bjørn Stensaker

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Stensaker, B. (2014). European Trends in Quality Assurance: New Agendas beyond the Search for Convergence?. In: Rosa, M.J., Amaral, A. (eds) Quality Assurance in Higher Education. Issues in Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137374639_9

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics