Developing a Quality Culture in Higher Educaiton

Although quality and qualityassurance have become embedded into the discourse ofhigher education, the development of a quality culturewithin higher education has (paradoxically) laggedbehind the implementation of quality assurancepractices. Part of the paradox, as far as learningand teaching are concerned, can be attributed toexternal demands which are homeostatic, when thefuture of higher education seems to be needing aradical commitment to curricular development. Thispaper sets the development of a quality culture in apolitical context, explains the relevance of single-and double-loop learning, argues for a conception ofmanaging for quality, identifies some aspects ofinstitutional dysfunctioning, lays out some qualitiesof a learning organisation, and suggests some ways inwhich institutional leaders might approach the task ofdeveloping a quality culture.