Quality assurance processes in higher education: a systematic review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2025-1429

Keywords:

quality assurance, higher education, universities, systematic review, university quality management, organisation, students, teachers

Abstract

Introduction: This study undertakes a systematic literature review to evaluate quality assurance processes in higher education. It addresses the identification, description and synthesis of key research in the area, seeking to establish an effective and replicable standard of educational quality. Methodology: it is structured in four key stages: identification, screening, eligibility and inclusion. Starting with the formulation of a research question and the search of prominent databases such as ERIC and Scopus, algorithms and Boolean operators were used to filter relevant studies. Selection continued with rigorous screening using Rayyan - QCRI software, followed by a detailed assessment of the quality and methodological relevance of the articles using tools such as STROBE and CASPE. Results and Discussion: Critical factors such as intellectual competence formation, leadership in the implementation of student policies and effective management of teaching time were highlighted. The importance of informational approaches to strengthen decision-making and improve the governance of educational institutions was emphasised. Conclusions: The study contributes significantly to the understanding and improvement of quality assurance processes in higher education. It provides a solid basis for future research and the development of innovative and effective educational practices, highlighting the need for a systematic and well-informed approach to educational quality management.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Mauricio Rincón Moreno, University of La Salle

PhD. in Humanities, Humanism and Person, DBA(c) in Administration, Master in Administration and Business Administration, University Professor, management sciences academic, consultant in quality and management of higher education.

Nancy Gordillo-Ramírez, Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia

Master's Degree in Marketing Management, Specialist in International Business Management and Commercial Business Administrator, University Professor, academic in organizational management sciences, consultant in higher education management and business management.

References

Alam, A. (2022). Mapping a sustainable future through conceptualization of transformative learning framework, education for sustainable development, critical reflection, and responsible citizenship: an exploration of pedagogies for twenty-first century learning. ECS Transactions, 107(1). https://doi.org/10.1149/10701.9827ecst DOI: https://doi.org/10.1149/10701.9827ecst

Amer, A. y Davidovitch, N. (2020). The Case of Druze Society and Its Integration in Higher Education in Israel. International Education Studies, 13(8), 68-78. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v13n8p68 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v13n8p68

Billing, D. (2007). Teaching for transfer of core/key skills in higher education: Cognitive skills. Higher Education, 53(4), 483-516. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-005-5628-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-005-5628-5

Bolman, L. G. y Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership. John Wiley & Sons. https://www.proquest.com/legacydocview/EBC/4883027?accountid=48784 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119281856

Boshier, R. y Huang, Y. (2008). In the House of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), teaching lives upstairs and learning in the basement. Teaching in Higher Education, 13(6), 645-656. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562510802452368 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13562510802452368

Caballero, B. F. (2020). Higher Education: Factors and Strategies for Student Retention. HETS Online Journal, 10. https://doi.org/10.1109/EDUCON52537.2022.9766549 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/EDUCON52537.2022.9766549

Cano Arana, A., González Gil, T. y Cabello López, J. B. (2010). CASPe. Plantilla para ayudarte a entender un estudio cualitativo. En: Guías CASPe de lectura crítica de la literatura médica. CASPe, Cuaderno III (pp. 3-8). https://acortar.link/oiJ6NZ

Cerda, J. L. y Villarroel Del L, P. (2008). Evaluación de la concordancia inter-observador en investigación pediátrica: Coeficiente de Kappa. https://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0370-41062008000100008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4067/S0370-41062008000100008

Chankseliani, M. y McCowan, T. (2021). Higher education and the sustainable development goals. Higher Education, 81(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00652-w DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00652-w

Chankseliani, M., Qoraboyev, I. y Gimranova, D. (2021). Higher education contributing to local, national, and global development: new empirical and conceptual insights. Higher Education, 81(1), 109-127. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00565-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00565-8

Cohen, E. y Davidovitch, N. (2016). Regulation of Academia in Israel: Legislation, Policy, and Market Forces. Journal of Education and Learning, 5(4), 165-180. https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v5n4p165 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v5n4p165

Davidovitch, N. y Belichenko, M. (2016). Developmental and Implementation Challenges of E-Learning Management Systems in Higher Education. Higher Education Studies, 6(4), 170-180. https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v6n4p170 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v6n4p170

Davidovitch, N. y Cohen, E. (2021). Effective Regulation of the Israeli Higher Education System in the Global and Neoliberal Era. Higher Education Studies, 11(3), 21-36. https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v11n3p21 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v11n3p21

Davidovitch, N. y Eckhaus, E. (2020). The Relationship between Students' Research Motivation, Capacity for Independent Work, and Research Outputs: Defining the Good Advisee Using Natural Language Processing. Journal of Education and Learning, 9(5), 38-44. https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v9n5p38 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v9n5p38

De Courcy, E., Loblaw, T., Paterson, J., Southam, T. y Wilson, M. M. (2017). Framework for Strengthening the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in the Canadian College Sector. Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 8(2), n2. https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2017.2.5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2017.2.5

Demetriou, C. y Schmitz-Sciborski, A. (2011). Integration, motivation, strengths and optimism: Retention theories past, present and future. En: Proceedings of the 7th National Symposium on student retention (Vol. 211, pp. 300-312). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364309350

Docent, L. N. (2020). Methods and algorithms of analyzing syllabuses for educational programs forming intellectual system. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology, 98(5). https://www.jatit.org/volumes/Vol98No5/13Vol98No5.pdf

Eckhaus, E. y Davidovitch, N. (2021). Driving Value Creation in the New Economy Following the COVID-19 Crisis. Data-Mining Students' Satisfaction from Online Teaching in the Virtual Academic Climate. Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 19(5), 452-468. https://doi.org/10.34190/ejel.19.5.1991 DOI: https://doi.org/10.34190/ejel.19.5.1991

Field, N., Cohen, T., Struelens, M. J., Palm, D., Cookson, B., Glynn, J. R., ... y Abubakar, I. (2014). Strengthening the Reporting of Molecular Epidemiology for Infectious Diseases (STROME-ID): an extension of the STROBE statement. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 14(4), 341-352. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(13)70324-4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(13)70324-4

Gamage, K. A., Ekanayake, S. Y. y Dehideniya, S. C. (2022). Embedding sustainability in learning and teaching: Lessons learned and moving forward—approaches in STEM higher education programmes. Education Sciences, 12(3), 225. https://doi.org/10.14742/apubs.2023.543 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12030225

Gamage, K. A., Perera, D. S. y Wijewardena, M. D. N. (2021). Mentoring and coaching as a learning technique in higher education: The impact of learning context on student engagement in online learning. Education Sciences, 11(10), 574. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11100574 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11100574

Gamage, K. A., Silva, E. K. D. y Gunawardhana, N. (2020). Online delivery and assessment during COVID-19: Safeguarding academic integrity. Education Sciences, 10(11), 301. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10110301 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10110301

Gamage, K. A., Wijesuriya, D. I., Ekanayake, S. Y., Rennie, A. E., Lambert, C. G. y Gunawardhana, N. (2020). Online delivery of teaching and laboratory practices: Continuity of university programmes during COVID-19 pandemic. Education Sciences, 10(10), 291. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10100291 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10100291

Glewwe, P. y Muralidharan, K. (2016). Improving education outcomes in developing countries: Evidence, knowledge gaps, and policy implications. En Handbook of the Economics of Education (Vol. 5, pp. 653-743). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-63459-7.00010-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-63459-7.00010-5

Gossman, S. (2016). STEM Faculty and Indirect Costs: What Administrators Need to Know. Research Management Review, 21(1). https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1134090

Graf, E. y Yavuz, O. (2023). Urban High School Faculty Members Speak Up: What They Need from a School Counseling Program from School Counselors and Principals. Journal of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, 7. https://acortar.link/Tg4bgb

Graham, I. D., Logan, J., Harrison, M. B., Straus, S. E., Tetroe, J., Caswell, W. y Robinson, N. (2006). Lost in knowledge translation: time for a map? The Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 26(1), 13-24. https://doi.org/10.1002/chp.47 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/chp.47

Heyneman, S. (1983). Mejorando la calidad de la educación en países en desarrollo. Finance and Development, 20(1), 18. https://doi.org/10.5089/9781616353520.022 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781616353520.022

Hubball, H. y Clarke, A. (2010). Diverse methodological approaches and considerations for SoTL in higher education. Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 1(1), 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2010.1.2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2010.1.2

Hussain, S., Gamage, K. A., Ahmad, W. y Imran, M. A. (2019a). Assessment and feedback for large classes in transnational engineering education: Student–staff partnership-based innovative approach. Education Sciences, 9(3), 221. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9030221 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9030221

Hussain, S., Gamage, K. A., Sagor, M. H., Tariq, F., Ma, L. y Imran, M. A. (2019b). A systematic review of project allocation methods in undergraduate transnational engineering education. Education Sciences, 9(4), 258. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9040258 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9040258

Issah, I., Appiah, O., Appiahene, P. y Inusah, F. (2023). A systematic review of the literature on machine learning application of determining the attributes influencing academic performance. Decision Analytics Journal, 100204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dajour.2023.100204 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dajour.2023.100204

Jones, N., Meadow, C. y Sicilia, M. A. (2009). Measuring intellectual capital in higher education. Journal of Information & Knowledge Management, 8(2), 113-136. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219649209002282 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219649209002282

Kankaew, K., Alanya-Beltran, J., Khamidullina, Z., Magulod Jr, G. C., Capulso, L. B., Cabacang, G. S., ... y Pentang, J. (2021). Immediate program learning outcomes of information technology candidates and their introspections towards IT education relevance and global competence initiatives. Psychology and Education, 58(2), 5417-5427. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.14968.57600

Kutuev, R. A., Kudyasheva, A. N., Buldakova, N. V., Aleksandrova, N. S. y Vasilenko, A. S. (2016). Educational-Methodical Projects for Students' Intellectual Competences Formation: The Imperative Goal of the Educational Process of the University. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 11(14), 7206-7214. http://www.ijese.net/makale_indir/IJESE_990_article_57e159509782f.pdf

Landon, T. R. (2015). An Examination of College Characteristics: The Relationship between Prospective and Current College Students' Perceptions [Tesis de grado]. Wilkes University. https://acortar.link/oKyQBH

Levina, E. Y. (2015). To the problem of managing the development of education: a stakeholder approach. Kazan pedagogical journal, 6(1), 11-15. https://acortar.link/KaeyiD

Levina, E. Y., Voronina, M. V., Rybolovleva, A. A., Sharafutdinova, M. M., Zhandarova, L. F. y Avilova, V. V. (2016). The Concepts of Informational Approach to the Management of Higher Education's Development. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 11(17), 9913-9922. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1119081

Liu, D., Zhang, M. y Liu, C. (2020). Exploration and Introspection: Policy Development on Teaching Faculty in Universities and Colleges in China Since the 21st Century. International Journal of New Developments in Education, 2(2). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1188373.pdf

Livari, N., Sharma, S. y Ventä-Olkkonen, L. (2020). Digital transformation of everyday life–How COVID-19 pandemic transformed the basic education of the young generation and why information management research should care? International Journal of Information Management, 55, 102183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102183 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102183

Manyanga, F., Sithole, A. y Hanson, S. M. (2017). Comparison of Student Retention Models in Undergraduate Education from the Past Eight Decades. Journal of Applied Learning in Higher Education, 7, 30-42. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1188373.pdf DOI: https://doi.org/10.57186/jalhe_2017_v7a3p30-39

Mazumdar, D. y Bhattacharjee, M. (2023). Digital Movement, Implications on Sustainable Development in Post Pandemic Time: An Introspection with Special Reference to India. En: COVID-19 Pandemic and Global Inequality: Reflections in Labour Market, Business and Social Sectors (pp. 259-277). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-4405-7_16 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-4405-7_16

Mengist, W., Soromessa, T. y Legese, G. (2020). Method for conducting systematic literature review and meta-analysis for environmental science research. MethodsX, 7, 100777. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2019.100777 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2019.100777

Mensah, J. (2020). Improving Quality Management in Higher Education Institutions in Developing Countries through Strategic Planning. Asian Journal of Contemporary Education, 4(1), 9-25. https://doi.org/10.18488/journal.137.2020.41.9.25 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18488/journal.137.2020.41.9.25

Mock, M. y Love, K. (2012). One state's initiative to increase access to higher education for people with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 9(4), 289-297. https://doi.org/10.1111/jppi.12006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jppi.12006

Naidoo, R. (2020). Fields and institutional strategy: Bourdieu on the relationship between higher education, inequality and society. En Bourdieu and Education (pp. 106-120). Routledge. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4128671 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429445163-8

Newman, M. y Gough, D. (2020). Systematic reviews in educational research: Methodology, perspectives and application. En O. Zawacki-Richter, M. Kerres, S. Bedenlier, M. Bond y K. Buntins (Eds.), Systematic Reviews in Educational Research. Methodology, Perspectives and Application (pp. 3-22). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-27602-7_1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-27602-7_1

Nuere, S. y De Miguel, L. (2021). The digital/technological connection with COVID-19: An unprecedented challenge in university teaching. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 26(4), 931-943. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-020-09454-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-020-09454-6

Pascarella, E. T. (2006). How college affects students: Ten directions for future research. Journal of College Student Development, 47(5), 508-520. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2006.0060 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2006.0060

Pérez Cañado, M. L. (2023). Inclusion and diversity in bilingual education: A European comparative study. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 26(9), 1129-1145. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2021.2013770 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2021.2013770

Posselt, J., Hernandez, T. E., Villarreal, C. D., Rodgers, A. J. y Irwin, L. N. (2020). Evaluation and decision making in higher education: Toward equitable repertoires of faculty practice. En Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research (Vol. 35, pp. 1-63). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11743-6_8-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11743-6_8-1

Pucciarelli, F. y Kaplan, A. (2016). Competition and strategy in higher education: Managing complexity and uncertainty. Business Horizons, 59(3), 311-320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2016.01.003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2016.01.003

Ransom, A., Khoo, S. M. y Selvaratnam, V. (1993). Improving higher education in developing countries. World Bank. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000103284

Rerke, V. I., Belyakova, N. V., Khudyakova, T. L., Klepach, Y. V., Platonova, E. V., Miloradova, N. G. y Pozdnyakova, I. R. (2021). Introspectiveness of Higher Education Students: Study and Development. Journal of Educational Psychology- Propositos y Representaciones, 9. https://doi.org/10.20511/pyr2021.v9nSPE1.1222 DOI: https://doi.org/10.20511/pyr2021.v9nSPE1.1222

Revathi, A., Kaladevi, R., Ramana, K., Jhaveri, R. H., Rudra Kumar, M. y Sankara Prasanna Kumar, M. (2022). Early detection of cognitive decline using machine learning algorithm and cognitive ability test. Security and Communication Networks, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/4190023 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/4190023

Saiyad, S., Virk, A., Mahajan, R. y Singh, T. (2020). Online teaching in medical training: Establishing good online teaching practices from cumulative experience. International Journal of Applied and Basic Medical Research, 10(3), 149. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7534709/ DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/ijabmr.IJABMR_358_20

Schofer, E., Ramirez, F. O. y Meyer, J. W. (2021). The societal consequences of higher education. Sociology of Education, 94(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038040720942912 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0038040720942912

Surur, M., Wibawa, R. P., Jaya, F., Suparto, A. A., Harefa, D., Faidi, A., ... y Purwanto, A. (2020). Effect of education operational cost on the education quality with the school productivity as moderating variable. Psychology and Education, 57(9), 1196-1205. https://doi.org/10.17762/pae.v57i9.445

Tejedor, S., Cervi, L., Pérez-Escoda, A., Tusa, F. y Parola, A. (2021). Higher education response in the time of coronavirus: perceptions of teachers and students, and open innovation. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 7(1), 43. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:234132998 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc7010043

Tierney, W. G. y Lanford, M. (2015). An investigation of the impact of international branch campuses on organizational culture. Higher Education, 70, 283-298. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43648869 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-014-9845-7

Trivedi, S. (2022). Improving students’ retention using machine learning: Impacts and implications. ScienceOpen Preprints. https://doi.org/10.14293/S2199-1006.1.SOR-.PPZMB0B.v1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14293/S2199-1006.1.SOR-.PPZMB0B.v1

Vallas, R. (2009). The disproportionality problem: The overrepresentation of Black students in special education and recommendations for reform. Va. J. Soc. Pol'y & L., 17, 181. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:204854421

Virtue, E. E. (2021). Pedagogical Reflection: Demonstrating the Value of Introspection. Journal of Effective Teaching in Higher Education, 4(1), 128-142. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1304655 DOI: https://doi.org/10.36021/jethe.v4i1.213

Vivona, R., Demircioglu, M. A. y Audretsch, D. B. (2023). The costs of collaborative innovation. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 48(3), 873-899. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-022-09933-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-022-09933-1

Wei, X., Yu, J. W., Shattuck, P., McCracken, M. y Blackorby, J. (2013). Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) participation among college students with an autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43, 1539-1546. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1700-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1700-z

Wolters, C. A. y Brady, A. C. (2020). College students’ time management: A self-regulated learning perspective. Educational Psychology Review, 1-33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09519-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09519-z

Yavuz, O. (2016). Educational leadership and comprehensive reform for improving equity and access for all. International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership, 11(10). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1138289.pdf DOI: https://doi.org/10.22230/ijepl.2016v11n10a684

Yavuz, O. (2019). Utilizing A Practitioner-Led Action Research Study to Improve Urban Students’ College Readiness and Pursuit. Necatibey Eğitim Fakültesi Elektronik Fen ve Matematik Eğitimi Dergisi, 13(1), 1-30. https://doi.org/10.17522/balikesirnef.511509 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17522/balikesirnef.511509

Zafarullah, S. y Pertti, V. (2017). Effect of time management on the job satisfaction and motivation of teacher educators: A narrative analysis. International Journal of Higher Education, 6(2), 213. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v6n2p213 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v6n2p213

Published

2025-02-05

How to Cite

Rincón Moreno, M., & Gordillo-Ramírez, N. (2025). Quality assurance processes in higher education: a systematic review. European Public & Social Innovation Review, 10, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2025-1429

Issue

Section

MISCELLANEOUS