Towards a Higher Education Good

Practice Database

Dr Luke MliloQuality Assurance Forum

Public Providers21 February 2012

THE GPDB

An emerging global practice in HE UNESCO 1 (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organisation)

Best practice refers to effective, ideal or paradigmatic practice within an organisation that others would benefit from adopting or adapting…may refer to activities within higher education institutions, such as learning and teaching or research activities, to organisational structures…

UNESCO 2A method or an innovative process involving a range of safe and reasonable practices resulting in the improved performance of a higher education institution or programme, usually recognized as “best” by other peer organizations. A best practice does not necessarily represent an absolute, ultimate example or pattern, its application assures the improved performance of a higher education institution or programme; rather, it identifies the best approach to a specific situation, as institutions and programmes vary greatly in constituencies and scope.

INQAAHE (International Network for QA Agencies in HE)

“An online searchable collection of systems and activities that are relevant to good policies, practices and outcomes in quality assurance.” (http://www.inquaahe.org/gpqa) (Adopted by AfriQAN

– African Quality Assurance Network of the AAU – Association of African Universities)

AUQA (Australian Universities Quality Agency)

“A searchable collection of verifiable Good Practices found in the higher education sector that are potentially transferable within, and of benefit to, other institutions within the sector.” (Good Practice Database Manual, 2007, p.6)

GPDB

Definition

An online peer evaluated collection of HE good practices that have been validated and that are a value-adding resource and have potential for adaptation across institutional contexts.

Key Aspects

Peer-reviewed Input from institutions Re-visit commendations from institutional audits,

accreditation processes From “pockets of excellence” to…….

Validated Agreed upon through a process of collaborative

decision-making within and across institutions

Adaptable Transferable across diverse institutional contexts Collaborative but non-prescriptive

THE GPDB

Rationale and Purpose

The GPDB is intended to provide a peer-reviewed resource to:

promote and facilitate a culture of quality beyond compliance with minimum quality standards, and

support institutional efforts to enhance quality in the core functions, including the quality of teaching and learning and the overall student experience in higher education institutions.

PRINCIPLES

1. HEIs have primary responsibility for quality– identify & strengthen existing areas of

good practice: expand “pockets of excellence”

– creative interventions/resources to address areas of weakness

2. Differentiated institutional contexts diversity (no ‘one-size-fits-all’)

3. Potential for transferability4. Peer evaluated

GPDBTHE PROPOSED PROCESS (1)

1. CHE staff will review the commendations given to institutions during institutional audits and identify good practices.

2. Institutions will be approached to document their good practices for placing on the GPDB. A template will be provided to streamline the documentation.

GPDBTHE PROPOSED PROCESS (2)

3. Following international practice in the development of higher education good practice databases, submissions will be peer reviewed by experts and peers in the particular area of good practice, e.g., governance, planning, ICT, management of information, professional development, teaching and learning, research, community engagement.

4. After completion of the peer review process and with adjustments made where necessary, the good practice will be placed on a GPDB webpage on the CHE website where it will be available to institutions for their reference.

Towards a GPDB

1. What might constitute a ‘good practice’?

2. What would be the benefits of a GPDB in the SA higher education context? What might be the pitfalls/challenges?

3. What would be the role/contribution of higher education institutions in setting up and maintaining the GPDB?