Both the public and private higher education sectors in Oman are undergoing rapid change in the number and type of local and foreign degrees offered. The Sultanate is developing a comprehensive quality assurance system to ensure the educational appropriateness of all degrees awarded in Oman. This paper examines the collaboration between the…

Purpose: In 2004, the University of the West Indies Distance Education Centre (UWIDEC) began incorporating the use of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the delivery of its programmes and courses, taking a "blended learning" approach. There is a recognition, however, of the need to ensure the quality of the…

A framework is described to assist institutions in evaluating the extent to which activities described as "quality improvements" or "quality enhancements" are likely to directly improve the student experience. The framework classifies ways of improving the student experience into "coaching improvements",…

The "Setting the scene" deliverable of the QMPP project (www.qmpp.net) has been authored by Mr. Ari-Matti Auvinen (HCI Productions Oy) and many QMPP project partners. In addition to the definition of the scope of the project, it includes also a good list of references to the literature of user-generated content as well as good web links…

The initial implementation of the Total Quality Management approach by 10 Boston-area (Massachusetts) institutions is summarized. The institutions include Babson College, Bentley College, Boston College, Boston University, Lesley College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tufts University, University of Massachusetts at Boston, Wentworth…

Three university programs of continuous quality improvement, based on the Total Quality Management approach, are described. The institutions are the Georgia Institute of Technology; Pennsylvania State University; and University of Maryland at College Park. The report attempts to look beyond the mechanics of the programs to discover what is being…

The Georgia Southern University admissions office implemented Total Quality Management (TQM) principles to control the quality of information management. It is suggested that, although TQM is used best on an institutionwide basis, it can also be useful in improving quality, reducing cost, increasing productivity, and achieving competitiveness on a…

Responding to a budget deficit, St. John Fisher College (New York) used quality-management tools to address critical budget issues and initiate a strategic program. Because the process used consensus-building tools, committee members felt they had been given equal input into resource allocation decisions and the process provided a sense of shared…

The British experience with nationwide research quality assessment exercises and newly-introduced measures to improve research program accountability is described. Consequences for institutions of higher education and for the system as a whole are examined, using the University of Glasgow (Scotland) as an example. Utility of performance indicators…

Outlines strategies used by one Australian university for systematic quality improvement, including development of a quality management plan, devolution of responsibility for quality advancement to faculties and schools, and improving documentation of quality-assurance procedures and outcomes. Topics discussed include leadership, committees,…

A Total Quality Management (TQM) approach to enforcing an admissions rule was taken in one master's degree program in lieu of punishing students for infraction. Prevention became possible only after TQM techniques revealed the causes of rule violation. Follow-up shows no new rule infractions for several academic terms. (MSE)

This collection of essays presents a set of standards to be considered for use in the delivery of U.S. credit-abroad programs and is designed to serve as a primer for institutions considering the development of such standards. The essays include: (1) "Introduction: A Growing Trend in Educational Delivery" (John Deupree), which discusses…

The use of the Total Quality Management (TQM) approach by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Management approach to restructure the graduate school admissions process is described, and lessons learned from the venture are discussed. The resulting five-day admissions procedure now in place is outlined. (MSE)

Implementation of the Total Quality Management approach in the Maricopa County Community College District (Arizona), a large 10-campus system, is described. The program's current early stages are reported noting the serious administrative commitment and thorough training, seen as key factors in potential success. (MSE)

The provost of Towson University, a Maryland state university, analyzes why his institution employs part-time faculty, discusses problems and solutions, and makes recommendations for longer-term policy development to assure quality education. It is argued that part-time faculty are critical to university operations, providing an economic base that…