Quality Assurance Frameworks in Higher Education: A Comparative Approach between Developed and Developing Countries

Abstract

Quality assurance has been of great importance in higher education, with globally spread HEIs trying to respond-as best they could-to the increasing demands for academic standards and accountability.The paper compares QA frameworks in higher education in developed countries, namely, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, against developing countries represented by India, Nigeria, and Pakistan. QA has become critical since institutions globally are under pressure to increase their academic standards and ensure accountability in processes. Many differences separate the QA systems in the developed and developing nations, shaped by varying factors that include resources, political influence, and consistency in application. This study adopts a qualitative approach through a content analysis of key documents from six countries, with the selection of 10 documents per country through purposive sampling. The results showed that the QA system in developed countries was well-established and solid, with high-quality standards and frequent evaluations; for developing countries, resource problems and inconsistent use of standards impede progress. It thus advocates that the approaches to QA should be done in a manner to suit each country's specific socio-economic and cultural setting to inform better international practices in QA.