Quality assurance or quality enhancement: lessons from the UK / Frank Hardman

This paper reviews current and recent practice in the management
of quality assurance in the UK, commenting on strengths and
weaknesses. It discusses the impact of quality assessment on policies,
structures, distribution of resources and the academic culture of
higher education. It also raises questions about the cost
effectiveness, reliability and validity of the information provided
and whether the evolving systems can accommodate the increasing
diversity of higher education. Drawing on the lessons of the UK
system, the paper identifies criteria that could be used for informing
and evaluating the academic quality assurance system currently
being developed by the Malaysian Quality Assurance Division.