Higher Education in Asia: Moving Ahead

A Comparative Study of Relationship Between the Government and National Quality Assurance Agencies in Asia: Policy Change, Governance Models, Emerging Roles

Date: June 30, 2021 (Wednesday)

Time: 15:00 to 16:00 (Hong Kong time)

Speaker: Prof Angela Yung Chi HOU National Chengchi University

Abstract:

In recent years, governmental policy changes have exerted significant impact on the structural transformation, role diversity and commercialisation of national quality assurance agencies in Asia nations. Due to policy change; ongoing structural transformation and emerging roles, national quality assurance agencies in Asia have undergone ongoing structural transformation due to policy change and emerging roles, particularly in Australia, Japan, Malaysia and Taiwan. The study aims to re-examine the relationship and emerging roles between national quality assurance agencies and governments in the four case Asian QA agencies on a basis of governance model shifts. Four national quality assurance agencies in Asia (TESQA Australia, MQA Malaysia, NIAD-QE Japan and HEEACT Taiwan) were selected as case studies.

The study presents three major findings. First, although a state-controlled governance model remained popular in all cases, the university-led and supermarket models were chosen due to changes in policy. Second, case agencies intended to develop new roles in order to respond to policy change and public demands, particularly enhancing professionalism, redefining the relationship with universities as partners, strengthening the linkage with international quality assurance networks, providing quality assurance services with foreign providers. Third, autonomy and independence remain a considerable challenge for quality assurance agencies.

Key words: quality assurance agency, higher education, governance model, emerging roles

Chair: Dr Hugo HORTA The University of Hong Kong

By zoom

Registration: Click here