Challenges of accreditation in an African university: reflections from the Eduardo Mondlane University, in Mozambique

IF 1.1 Q3 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Quality in Higher Education Pub Date : 2021-12-21 DOI:10.1080/13538322.2021.2010987

Nelson Casimiro Zavale

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引用次数: 1

Abstract

ABSTRACT As elsewhere in Africa, Mozambique established, during the 2000s, a national higher education quality assurance system to cope with the country’s rapid expansion of higher education. In 2014, the national quality assurance agency began the accreditation process. From 2015 to 2020, the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM), the country’s oldest and largest public university, has accredited about 30 academic programmes. Based on UEM’s case and on reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action, this article examines the challenges of accreditation in Mozambique and in Africa. The reflection focuses on challenges related to the process and instruments, organisational setting, resources and policy and impact of accreditation. These challenges suggest that, alongside establishing quality assurance mechanisms in Africa, attention should also be paid to identifying and dealing with challenges constraining or facilitating implementation of these mechanisms, particularly if quality assurance systems are intended to improve the quality of institutions and make them accountable.

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非洲大学认证的挑战:来自莫桑比克Eduardo Mondlane大学的思考

与非洲其他国家一样，莫桑比克在2000年代建立了国家高等教育质量保证体系，以应对该国高等教育的快速扩张。2014年，国家质量保证机构开始了认证程序。从2015年到2020年，Eduardo Mondlane大学(UEM)，这个国家历史最悠久，规模最大的公立大学，已经认证了大约30个学术课程。基于UEM的案例以及行动反思和行动反思，本文探讨了莫桑比克和非洲认证面临的挑战。反思的重点是与过程和工具、组织设置、资源和政策以及认证影响相关的挑战。这些挑战表明，除了在非洲建立质量保证机制外，还应注意查明和处理限制或促进这些机制实施的挑战，特别是如果质量保证系统的目的是提高机构的质量并使它们负责任的话。

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来源期刊

Quality in Higher Education EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-

CiteScore

3.30

自引率

14.30%

发文量

期刊介绍： Quality in Higher Education is aimed at those interested in the theory, practice and policies relating to the control, management and improvement of quality in higher education. The journal is receptive to critical, phenomenological as well as positivistic studies. The journal would like to publish more studies that use hermeneutic, semiotic, ethnographic or dialectical research as well as the more traditional studies based on quantitative surveys and in-depth interviews and focus groups. Papers that have empirical research content are particularly welcome. The editor especially wishes to encourage papers on: reported research results, especially where these assess the impact of quality assurance systems, procedures and methodologies; theoretical analyses of quality and quality initiatives in higher education; comparative evaluation and international aspects of practice and policy with a view to identifying transportable methods, systems and good practice; quality assurance and standards monitoring of transnational higher education; the nature and impact and student feedback; improvements in learning and teaching that impact on quality and standards; links between quality assurance and employability; evaluations of the impact of quality procedures at national level, backed up by research evidence.