There are three purposes for evaluation: evaluation for action to aid the decision making process, evaluation for understanding to further enhance enlightenment and evaluation for control to ensure compliance to standards. This article argues that the primary function of evaluation in the "Catherine Wheel" computer-based assessment (CBA)…

The "Research & Action Report," published twice a year, is a window on the activities and initiatives at the Wellesley Centers for Women. The report typically features news about the Centers, interviews with researchers, commentary on recent events or social trends affecting women and girls, announcements of new publications, and…

This protocol explains the new system for assessing research quality at research universities located in the Netherlands. It discusses the legal and historical background for establishing a new system of quality determination in research, describes the essential aspects of the research assessment process and the particular tasks of…

This document and a companion National Report are the results of a study of the management of catering services in higher education by the United Kingdom Value for Money Steering Group. The national report identifies key management issues for the senior management team in developing a review of catering services, to ensure that they are effective…

A discussion of Australian higher education looks at the nature of quality and its assessment in higher education, particularly in the context of a new national committee on quality assurance. It examines the compatibility of quality management strategies with existing institutional decision-making and management processes. (MSE)

This study reports on the Hong Kong education quality assurance and school monitoring system. Three research questions were addressed: (1) Who controls the quality of school education in Hong Kong? (2) What strategies are used in the Hong Kong school education quality assurance process? (3) Agenda for Future Research on quality assurance and…

This document analyzes the inspection reports of the five further education (FE) colleges in Britain that have achieved a grade of 1 for quality assurance (QA), identifies key lessons for the improvement of programs in other FE colleges, and refers to helpful FE publications. The five colleges consisted of two general FE colleges, one sixth-form…

Movements toward quality assurance in Australian and U.S. higher education systems are compared and found largely similar. One element, oversight of the federal government in this process, is seen as the principal difference. A national quality assurance effort is in place in Australia, but not in the United States. (MSE)

This guide is aimed at lecturers and tutors providing higher education courses at further education colleges in England. It contains good practice guidelines with examples from more than 50 institutions, information requested by colleges, and suggestions. A companion volume for senior managers addresses policy issues and prospects for higher…

The advent of advisory councils presents a promising opportunity for schools to maximize a largely untapped resource for increased educational effectiveness. This modular training guide, which supplements "Developing Quality Schools: A Handbook," shows practitioners how to set the context for and apply the consensus decision-making…

A discussion of quality assurance in Portuguese universities looks at the environment of expanding enrollments and new laws concerning program quality. It is proposed that evaluation should be informative, exhaustive, and concise, and should involve cooperation between evaluators both internal and external to the institution. (MSE)

The nature and effects of Australian efforts to create and maintain quality higher education are examined, focusing on specific government initiatives and on international trends and influences. It is suggested that even the best quality assurance processes do not guarantee good results, and that quality is a complex phenomenon depending on an…

Strategies used by Griffith University (Australia) to control quality, in response to increasing external pressure for accountability, are outlined. The central strategy involves devolving responsibility to faculties and schools, who must develop plans for quality control within their own academic cultures. Barriers to implementation, including…

This discussion of Australian student transfer into technical and further education institutions from previous institutions of higher education looks at the nature of this migration and the implications of reciprocity between sectors. Better provision of information to students, articulation for credit transfer, and research on student migration…

In response to changing government philosophy concerning higher education, including increased institutional autonomy alongside greater pressure for accountability and internal renewal, Dutch universities have developed a system for external quality assessment under the aegis of the Association of Dutch Universities. Its evolution and results to…