Perceptions of Quality in Higher Education, Rankings and Benchmarking

In higher education, the very concept of "quality" is a disputed one, with meanings linked to different streams of demands and to a variety of understandings of what should be the mission of higher education. Changing definitions of quality in education constitutes a very controversial topic that cannot be understood as disassociated from the analysis of relatively complex power struggles. This book discusses the perceptions of quality, university rankings, and benchmarking, with a special focus on teaching and learning in higher education institutions. The book is a result of the 6th International Conference on Universities' Quality Development Under Globalization (UNIQUAL), organized at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in 2009. The conference participants shared an intellectual interest in better understanding the common challenges that face higher education. The book's contributors address such questions as: What are benchmarking procedures really measuring? * What is the contribution of university rankings? * In what respects do they differ, and what do they present in common? * What do we understand by "quality teaching/learning," and what steps are to be taken to maintain high standards? * What are good indicators of quality in higher education? * How do perceptions of quality differ worldwide?