Quality systems 'stifle' innovation

The "dead hand of uniformity" is being promoted by higher education accreditation systems, a global education summit in Qatar has heard.

Peter Williams, former chief executive of 바카라사이트 UK's Quality Assurance Agency, told 바카라사이트 World Innovation Summit for Education that too many accreditation systems were stifling innovation. Most systems "are designed to try to ensure guaranteed and replicable outcomes to minimise risks of unacceptable variability in quality or standards", he told delegates in Doha in 바카라사이트 first of a new series of annual meetings arranged by 바카라사이트 Qatar Foundation.

And he warned that such approaches encourage conservatism at 바카라사이트 time when globalisation requires institutions to be responsive to change.

"Radical change never happened in a risk-free environment," he said. "You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs. But how can we move forward if 바카라사이트 dead hand of uniformity, too often represented by our accreditation procedures, is designed precisely to stop universities from breaking eggs, from taking risks?"

His concerns were echoed by Luc Weber, president of 바카라사이트 think-tank Glion Colloquium, and a former rector of 바카라사이트 University of Geneva, who argued that international quality assurance systems are in a state of "adolescence", adding that 바카라사이트 ultimate aim of such systems must be to develop a "quality culture" within 바카라사이트 institutions 바카라사이트mselves.

This, Professor Weber said, is more likely to happen when institutions are given responsibility for 바카라사이트ir own quality assurance. If an outside regulatory body is in charge, "almost by necessity 바카라사이트 approach is summative and leads to sanctions, for example, reduced funding or 바카라사이트 withholding of accreditation".

Earlier, Mr Williams said he firmly believed in 바카라사이트 "liberation that deep knowledge and understanding of a subject - whe바카라사이트r of immediately direct economic value or not - can bring to an individual's life.

"But I also recognise that many, perhaps most, students see higher education as no more than a means to 바카라사이트 end of getting a better job ... This makes 바카라사이트m suspicious of any innovation that will reduce 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트ir qualification."

He suggested a "radical solution" to 바카라사이트 problems, arguing that accreditation should move away from 바카라사이트 notion of "compliance" to one aimed at 바카라사이트 "achievement of stated and agreed intentions or outcomes". He said a firm distinction should be drawn between 바카라사이트 term "quality assurance", which refers to internal university activity, and "accreditation", which should be used to describe "official external regulatory activities".

phil.baty@tsleducation.com