Self-assessment in higher education institutions: literature analysis and research opportunities

Abstract Self-assessment in higher education institutions is a topic of increasing interest for the academic community, researchers, the government, and society. This process allows us to map the reality of the institution, becoming the foundation for proposing improvement actions. Self-assessment offers the potential to manage changes if they are considered in decision-making; universities, however, have difficulty using self-assessment as an management instrument; the step-by-step of this process and the use of its results are not effectively presented in the literature. Thus, this study aims to analyze the guidelines for self-assessment methods in higher education institutions, considering their processes, results, and effectiveness. The analysis of previously proposed attributes help to present the potential for developing a better practice in this area. A systematic review of the literature was conducted in several databases, including the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations. A total of 119 documents, relevant to this research were found, in which 62 presented some guideline that considered planning and management for decision-making. These guidelines may be considered as a possible systematic approach for institutional self-assessment. Additionally, research gaps were identified, supporting the appointment of opportunities for researchers and managers within the scope of process management, work routine, and human resources.