Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate how Vietnam, Malaysia and Nigeria quality assurance agencies operate towards ensuring quality in higher education institutions. Quality assurance systems was investigated with respect to social demands and it was compared based on the key concepts: autonomy, accountability and improvement. The study relied on qualitative document analysis methods and was conducted on relevant higher education and policy, quality assurance systems of Viet Nam Ministry Education and Training, quality assurance of National Universities Commission, National Board for Technical Education of Nigeria and Malaysian Qualification Agency respectively and their challenges were assessed and compared. There are deals of convergence between Quality Assurance systems of Viet Nam, Malaysia and Nigeria. Viet Nam and Malaysia has a single Quality Assurance system while Nigeria has multi Quality Assurance systems. In all three countries’ Quality Assurance systems made achievements in terms of autonomy, accountability and improvement. In Vietnam, Vietnamese Qualification Agency: internal Quality Assurance is embedded within an accreditation system, but still requires a recognition external quality assurance agency. In Malaysia, Malaysian Qualification Agency: internal Quality Assurance is embedded within accreditation system and reduced the involvement of external Quality Assurance agency. In Nigeria, the National Universities Commission, National Board for Technical Education and National Commission for Colleges of Education of Nigeria provides guidelines for higher education institutions to assist build their internal Quality Assurance. Vietnam and Malaysia Quality Assurance experienced accountability being demonstrated for continuous improvement while Nigeria Quality Assurance accountability is seen with invisible improvement due to challenges associated with the quality frameworks. The study gives appreciated vision into Quality Assurance systems and frameworks of higher education institutions and how Quality Assurance responds to the social demands of stakeholders.

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