Page 24 - AUN-QA

1. Introduction to AUN-QA Models

1.1 Quality Assurance (QA) in Higher Education

Quality in higher education is not a simple one-dimensional notion about academic
quality. In view of the varied needs and expectations of stakeholders, quality in
higher education can be said to be a multi-dimensional concept.

The World Declaration on Higher Education for the Twenty First Century: Vision and
Action (October 1998), Article 11, Qualitative Evaluation considers quality in higher
education as “a multi-dimensional concept, which should embrace all its functions,
and activities; teaching and academic programmes, research and scholarship,
staffing, students, buildings, facilities, equipment, services to the community and the
academic environment. Internal self-evaluation and external review, conducted
openly by independent specialists, if possible with international expertise, are vital for
enhancing quality.”

To develop, implement, sustain and improve the level of quality in higher education,
an institution needs to install a quality assurance system. The Regional Report of
Asia and the Pacific (UNESCO, 2003b) defines quality assurance in higher
education as “systematic management and assessment procedures to monitor
performance of higher education institutions”.

1.2 AUN-QA Models

ASEAN University Network (AUN) recognises the importance of quality in higher
education, and the need to develop a holistic quality assurance system to raise
academic standards and enhance education, research and service among its
member universities. In 1998, it mooted the AUN-QA Network which led to the
development of AUN-QA models. Since then, the network has been promoting,
developing, and implementing quality assurance practices based on an empirical
approach where quality assurance practices are tested, evaluated, improved and
shared. The evolution of AUN-QA Network and its development in quality assurance
are depicted in Figure 1.1.

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