Develop mechanisms to ensure the quality of the university

Content

1 Scientific fundamentals of quality management

1.1 Methodological approaches to quality management of higher education

1.2 Quality education - as a factor of sustainable socio-economic development of the country

1.3 International experience evaluating the performance of schools

2 Analysis and evaluation of the development of higher education in Kazakhstan

2.1 Status of the higher education system in the Republic of Kazakhstan

2.2 Analysis of models of quality management of higher education

2.3 State control and promotion of vocational education

3 Develop mechanisms to ensure the quality of the university

3.1 Socio- economic assessment of the attractiveness of the university

3.2 Internal quality assurance activities of the university

Conclusion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Scientific fundamentals of quality management

1.1 Methodological approaches to quality management of higher education

As in most countries of the world system to provide educational services in the Republic of Kazakhstan is a collection of interacting components:

- successive educational programs and state educational standards and orientation at various levels ;

network realizing their educational institutions, regardless of their organizational and legal forms , types and species;

- education authorities and their subordinate agencies and organizations .

“The key in this collection are the educational institutions , which are not only the main” actuators " education system , but also the main , if I may say so , " form of existence " of the educational system . Because the quality of educational programs , and management education is manifested ultimately , it is through the quality of educational institutions. Moreover, the very education authorities and state educational standards comprise substantially only the necessary (and often only minimal ) legal and regulatory framework , base platform on which to base their activities and educational institutions. And finally , most importantly : that educational institutions directly, and most of all (and the time and intensity of contacts ) interact with the customers themselves and the recipients of educational services , which alone can objectively evaluate the quality of the existing education system .

Thus, the determinant of the quality of the education system as a whole is a level of quality educational institutions, and, more precisely , the level of quality of their educational services.

Separating from the full range of educational institutions namely universities , I would like at the outset to pay attention to two things.

The first is especially true for high school and reflected in the fact that the activities of universities performed today in an increasingly competitive . It currently has a very strong influence on the desire of universities to earn , retain and increase its popularity, ie , if we talk in a modern , become the most competitive. Achieve this without the provision of quality educational services impossible. But any comparison requires a matching mechanism . This made it very urgent task of comparative monitoring and universities, and in general the problem of quality control of universities.

The second circumstance is more general. It is that the educational system at all levels , including at the level of a single institution , it is a "single functional system of evaluation and quality management education" , having all the attributes of the system - the purpose of the operation , structure , algorithm ( process) , quality ( efficiency ) of the operation , as well as technical (technological ) realizability . This feature of indicated, in particular in the papers . This fact has far-reaching consequences and that it is fundamentally important when choosing methods of quality management facility, including the university.

 

The results of operations of higher education institutions are manifested in several forms , namely in the form of :

- The services of an educational nature ;

- Scientific and technical products ;

- Integrated products based on scientific and technical products and educational services ;

- Instructional products.

Although the activities of a university, as a rule, present the entire spectrum of the above activities , educational services (education) , of course, are crucial - for the provision of their universities , in fact, created.

This is crucial , since clearly defines the main ( target ) component of any university activity - the provision of educational services. So work states : " ... special attention should be paid to the quality of educational services as one of the most important criteria for evaluating educational activities " have their own characteristics , discussed in detail in the works. Here, under the educational services understand the "volume of academic and scientific information as the sum of knowledge of general education and special character and skills transmitted person to a particular program ."

We draw attention to an important feature of educational services , namely, this type of service exhibit the same characteristics as any service as such. There are several features , among which:

- Low degree of tangibility . Indeed, "it is impossible to date of purchase, full taste , see, hear or smell all that body of knowledge and practical skills that will get citizen , acquiring educational services ." ;

- The inseparability of educational services from its source , ie from the " scientific-pedagogical staff of the university , its logistics , information and financial resources, or , in other words , the total scientific and educational potential of the university" ";

- With intangibility and inseparability of educational services related " impossibility of their storage and transport, dispersion and the locality of educational institutions and the market for these services" ;

- Impermanence quality. " The uneven level of accumulated scientific and educational potential of the university and objectively determines the different levels of quality of educational services , so the level of preparation of students for the same specialty often dramatically different in different universities ."

Those who are acquainted with the ever common characteristics of services to easily see all the listed features that are typical for any service as such. However, educational services and have their own characteristics :

- first, the peculiar character of the educational activities it difficult to assess the consumer properties of university services. Do potential customers (consumers) today there is only one possibility and, moreover, an indirect evaluation of the educational activities of a particular Graduate School - based on the collection and analysis of the opinions of those who have already used or now uses its services, or relevant advertising;

- secondly , unlike the real material production processes of creation and use of services are connected : the moment of creating faculty of the university educational services at the same time serves the initial moment of their consumption by students.

Separately, it should stay at the facilities and obtain educational services. While the subject of a provision of educational services - school , facilities receiving educational services (consumers) it can be many: graduates of secondary (full) education, primary and secondary vocational education , as well as professionals interested in improving individual skills or retraining .

In the provision of educational services institution can interact :

- with the state. ;

- from single individuals ( applicants , students );

- from the individual specific enterprise (organization );

All these features do not change the main point: the main activities of the university - the provision of services in the field of higher education.

Thus, based on the above can be concluded that:

- A combination of elements that make up the education system of the Republic of Kazakhstan , the most important in terms of providing high quality education are educational institutions that are being forced to act in the face of increasing competition between them. Especially strongly it affects the activities of higher education institutions .

- University educational system falls into the category of functional systems and has all the attributes of the system ;

- Educational services - a key activity of the university;

- By nature , despite the presence of certain features , educational services are a typical type of service and have all the properties inherent to services as such.

Given the enormous importance of the education system , the question of the actual looks as educational services and an integrated approach to its management .

Quality - a complex concept , which characterizes the efficiency of all aspects of strategy development , organization of educational process , marketing and others . The most important component of the entire system of education quality is the quality (in the broadest sense of the word ) graduates . While the latter should be considered , on the one hand, as consumers ( information that they receive in high school ) , with other vendors as their knowledge and skills to the employer. Under the control of the quality of the graduate will understand the constant , systematic , purposeful process of working on all levels to the factors and conditions that ensure the formation of the future specialist optimum quality and the full use of his knowledge and skills .

The quality of education is based on three key grounds :

objectives and content of education ;

- level of professional competence of the teaching staff and the organization of their activities;

state of the material and technical and scientific information base of the learning process .

Questions that have the quality of education , the results (products) of the educational process - still pose the most discussion among experts in the field of education , and quality management .

According to ISO 9000-2001 quality - is the degree of conformity of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements . In terms of pedagogy educational process is defined as the transfer and development of socio- cultural experience , as well as the formation of its ability to enrich .

In 2002, the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan defines that quality education is considered in two aspects .

- quality results of the educational process : compliance level of knowledge of students and graduates of the standards ;

Specifications of this quality assurance system : the content of education , the level of training of students , teaching staff , information and methodological support , logistics training quality used educational technologies , scientific activities.

The interconnectedness of all aspects of the quality of higher education is presented in Figure 1.

Figure 1 - The main aspects of the quality of higher education

Also determined that the stakeholders of the university are: consumers ( applicants , students, parents , businesses and organizations ), the Ministry of Education and Science , the administration of administrative-territorial units , Council of Rectors of the regions , employment , media , secondary schools and special educational institutions; employees of the university.

And multifaceted discussion is the issue of quality management in higher education, so first we define the quality management system at the university itself, and then give a list of systems used in real practice.

Under the quality management system of the university management system refers to direct and control an organization with regard to quality, ie set of organizational structure of the university , documentation ( internal regulations , procedures documented procedures , guidelines , work instructions ) , processes and resources needed to implement quality management . Speaking of the quality management system of the university , it is necessary first of all to define the model , according to which it will be built . Thus, under a model of quality management system means a collection of principles, methods , indicators and requirements for various aspects and processes of the organization, the criteria for determining the level of perfection of these processes and methods for their evaluation, which together determine all the processes of the organization to achieve the desired results quality .

Currently in the world there are 10 of the most common models of quality management systems in higher education , including the following models:

1. Model - quality management system according to ISO 9001 ;
2. Model - based total quality management ;
3. Model of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) and its modifications for higher education ;
4. Model - Government awards and the Ministry of Education in the field of quality;
5. Model - Center for Policy Studies in Higher Education (CHEPS) University of Twente (Netherlands);
6. Model of the Netherlands Association of Universities (VSNU);
7. Belgian- Dutch model ;
8. Model - American National Quality Award "Baldrige National Quality Award" in the field of education;
9. Model - benchmark for Australian universities.

However, we know that the standards ISO 9000 and similar regulations are designed for the benefit of certification of industrial products.

Quality system certification as a necessary element , helps companies identify their niche in the field of sales is helpful step in the competition , promotes access to foreign markets and improve product quality , which ultimately allows you to increase profits. An important result of the introduction of the quality system is to improve the company image . The company's success even in any direction one can justify the cost of development of the quality system. As these areas conform to the activities of higher education institutions ?

In general, the purpose of the quality system of industrial enterprise and the university did not have differences , but some of their differences are present. Certification of higher education in the truest sense of the word for the Republic of Kazakhstan - the case of an uncertain future .

Clearly stipulating the quality system requirements of the industrial enterprise , pointing out what should be done , what should be , these standards do not provide an answer to the question of how to do it, what tools to use. Therefore, the development of university quality of ISO 9000 can take the basic provisions : terminology , system approach, product life cycle , etc. Using the TQM philosophy in modern Kazakhstan reality , we should not forget about its post-Soviet conflicts with management , as convincing and colorful states in the work .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.2 Quality education as a factor of sustainable socio-economic development of the country

The special role of education in the general cultural development of society, the formation of its spiritual and moral level , the development of economic potential and improving the welfare of the population supported the evolution of the development and progress of human civilization . At all times the level of education of the individual was the center of much public attention , defined social status and served as the basis of its material prosperity.

In the modern world, the development of education de facto recognized as the basis of socio-economic development of the state and the growth of welfare of its citizens.

According to the World Bank in a modern economy, the share of human capital in the formation of the national wealth is from 60 to 80%. A similar trend is observed in the dynamics of the components of the value of companies . Watson Research Uetta show that the structure of assets of the corporation «Nokia» 95 % are intangible assets, including qualifications, skills , talent workers and know-how .

In the second half of XX century it became apparent that the leading nation of the XXI century will be one that will generate the most effective education system. This led to a revision in the developed countries the role, place and mission of education in society and the need for its development priority .

The growing role in the global aspect of higher education is demonstrated by studies of UNESCO, which identified several global trends in higher education over the past decade. The most obvious and important of these are:

- Increase the number of students from 1960 to 1995, more than 6 times (13 and 82 million, respectively). At this rate in 2010 is projected to increase the number of students to 120 million by 2020 to 130-140 million people, or almost 2-fold increase compared with 1995 . This will lead to the expansion of the material and technical base of the system of higher education and the increase in its content ;

- Significant increase in state spending on its contents ( except for countries that were part of the socialist camp ) . In the U.S., these expenses increased 3 times in Western Europe - 3.4 times in China - 2 times in East Asia - 4 times. In the former socialist countries , a decrease costs by 25%;

- Increased migration of scientists in developed countries , bundle the unity of science and education, expanding the influence of the Anglo-Saxon system of multi-level education and the emergence of global educational megasystems . Currently a mega system include: USA (14 million students ), India ( 5.7 million ), China ( 5.7 million ) , Russia ( 4.4 million ), Japan ( 3.9 million ) , Indonesia (2.3 million ), Korea ( 2.2 million ), Germany ( 2.1 million ) , the Philippines (2 million ), Canada (2 million). At the same time the total number of foreign students studying in 28% U.S. , 12% - in the UK , 10% - in Germany. , 8 % - in France, 4% - in Russian , 3% - in Japan. Higher Education from the educational system has become a global industry education and training , are estimated at over U.S. $ 27 billion ;

- Openness and variability of higher education as a consequence observed in all spheres of life processes of globalization and standardization and expanding information technology capabilities . Integration in the economic and social integration has led to the higher education systems of Western European countries , where higher education is seen as one of the major national development priorities.

Today, the level and quality of education has a direct impact on the economic development of any country . Modern production is placing ever greater demands not only for the technical equipment , but also to the " armament " employees with the necessary knowledge and systematic expansion and renovation .

From this perspective, the level of education of the population of the region can be considered as one of the main factors determining the size of the gross regional product. There is a correlation between education and economic growth proved practice development of a number of states.

In the market to ensure sufficient investment in education is one of the most important policy challenges to support the educational potential of the country. Through the system of higher education and its quality, achieved life goals of the individual , employers and economic interests related to human resource development goals of the state and society.

Society's desire for self-development , its transformation into a " developed society " as the main objective and the success of this first of all determined by the development of education .

In the civilized , developed society, the goal of the state is to improve the lives of its citizens and is achieved through the development of national economy, providing all its branches highly qualified personnel , trained in tertiary education.

Employers as an economic system of the state interested in the labor force , which has developed professional skills and high workability , as the main factor increasing the efficiency and income. At the same time , effectiveness will not only profit , but also the performance of socially significant functions , including not-for- profit.

Modern approaches to the management of the organization based on the need to maximizing potential people working in it when the staff is seen as a key determinant of the performance of all other resources available to it . Experience the most successful domestic and foreign companies shows that investing in people , creating conditions for professional growth of employees and enhance their readiness to solve problems quickly and provide a high return on investment . Every year large Western corporations spend from 2 to 5 % of its budget on training and development of its employees.

The education sector in countries with developed market economies is one of the most highly profitable areas of investment funds. In addition, the educational sector has sufficiently low risk investment losses and income thereon . According to U.S. economists, one dollar invested in the development of education , brings three to six dollars in profits .

Education as a social phenomenon as a social process , and finally , as a social institution , as a member of society suffers from almost all of the changes occurring in it . This is doubly true of education in society undergoing profound qualitative transformation. It is so today Kazakh society .

Despite the existence of the problems associated with the formation of the Republic of Kazakhstan market relations , currently the social and economic situation in the country is significantly improved . If during 1991-2000 . the population has decreased by 1.2 million people . or 7.7 %, in 2004 compared with 2000, an increase in population of 1.3% (202 thousand people.) . By the year 2004 by 9.6% compared to 1994, increased the number of economically active population. Peak unemployed population of the republic to the period from 1996 to 2000 and is 968 thousand people . 1997. In 2004, the figure is 660 thousand people . , That is reduced by 31.8% . According to statistics in 2004, the economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan was employed 7.2 million people . The employment rate was 91.6% , the unemployment rate - 8.4%. The share of low-income population with income (used for consumption ) below the subsistence level , the average for the country declined from 28.4% in 2001 to 24.2% in 2002 and 19.8 % in 2003 [115]. In 2005 , GDP per capita amounted to RK 3700 U.S. dollars. By 2010, Kazakhstan planned to increase the per capita GDP up to seven thousand dollars , and purchasing power parity - up to 15 thousand dollars.

Summary measure of human development , prosperity and welfare of the state is considered to be the human development index (HDI) . According to the UN , in 1990 six CIS countries had a high level of human development (HDI > 0.8 ) in their number of inputs and Kazakhstan ( 0.82) [116]. Currently Kazakhstan HDI position data is as follows: 2000 -73 , 2001-75 , 2002-80 , 2003-76 , 2004-78 , 2005 - 80 place .

Human Development Index evaluates the state average achievements in three areas: life expectancy of citizens; knowledge , as measured by the adult literacy rate and the combined gross enrollment ratio for primary, secondary and higher education , and standard of living, as measured by GDP per capita. Despite the rise in 2005 the number of students per 10,000 population to 497 people , a high level of literacy of the population of Kazakhstan (99.4% - the level of literacy Kazakhstan is among the top three per cent of countries in the world) and the degree of coverage of the population education (81%) , the level of access to education does not provide international standards (30 % of the adult population).

Socio-economic development of independent Kazakhstan in 90 years took place in the plane of market reforms affecting all aspects of society , including the education system. Transitional nature of the processes occurring in the country , economic , political and social reforms associated with the democratization of society and its movement to the construction market relations , could not affect the social institution of education . The country observed diversification of institutional structures , programs and forms of education, their adaptation to market conditions . Expanding academic freedom of universities. Notable in this period was a significant expansion of the private sector education market . Reforming the system of higher education comes amid apparent downward trend in the quality of education , accompanied by a sharp deterioration in the material basis of social prestige and educational activities.

Since independence, the system of higher education in Kazakhstan has overcome several stages of reform , the contents of which at various times was aimed at the formation of legislative and normative base of higher education; modernization of the higher education system , update its content ; decentralization of financial management, education, extension of academic freedom of educational institutions ; strategic development of the system of higher education ( the modern stage , originating in 2001) .

Economic development of the state is directly dependent on the efficiency of the development and operation of its education system. In the context of globalization and the global scientific and technological space in the last 10-15 years a value aspect is the problem of the competitiveness of industries. In the information society knowledge becoming the main source of value. It becomes evident that economic growth and competitiveness are increasingly determined by the "knowledge economy " and to a lesser extent " economy of production." "In the modern Western world , only 15 % of the active population are directly related to the production of goods , the remaining 85% of the added value in the process of creation , management and transfer of information ." In the global competitiveness table growth for 2005-2006 to " Davos " index of 117 countries Kazakhstan occupies 61st place , ahead of all CIS countries .

In the context of global trends to ensure the competitiveness of the national economy in the Republic of Kazakhstan there is a qualitatively new redefinition of the role of higher education in social and economic development of the state. " The concept of" education "is transformed and expanded ." " There is a shift from the concept of functional training to the concept of personal development ." " Is becoming increasingly important continuing education and adult education ." These trends determine the focus of the current stage in the development of science and education system of Kazakhstan.

Following the strategic development plan of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2010 , the Ministry of Education and Science has developed a program of modernization of the national multi-level system of education to improve the quality of human resources to meet the needs of individuals and society . Expenditure of the state budget , the program implementation , according to preliminary estimates , was 330,812.0 million tenge , including from the national budget will be allocated 175,769.8 million tenge from local budgets - 155 042,2 million tenge . In the next three years in the structure of GDP spending on education will increase to 4.1%.

One of the integral indices of development of higher education , adopted in the international community , is the number of students per 10,000 population. According to this indicator in the Republic of Kazakhstan shows a strong upward trend , based on a variety of nature and content processes . During the 90s ( especially the second half of them ) increase in the number of students , mainly explained by "mass availability " of higher education at its value and loyalty conditions for admission to universities . As a consequence , the number of students per 10,000 population in 2004/ 2005 academic year was 497 against 440 in 2003 /2004, 297 - 2000/2001 , 245 - 1999/2000 , 187 - in 1997/1998 and 175 - in the 1990/1991 academic year .

If a quantitative indicator of the development indicates the positive processes in the higher education system of Kazakhstan , the sociological research conducted to identify existing downward trend in the quality of education. According to the results of the survey conducted in 2001 as part of the project "Social Partnership in Vocational Education and Training" , the poor quality of training indicated 36% of respondents and the need to update the curriculum in line with the requirements of production -19% .

Introduction of a number of state regulation of the quality of educational activities, such as stricter licensing conditions , establishment of a threshold level of knowledge for state education grant and loan and enrollment in higher education institutions on a fee basis , the practice of the intermediate state control of students' knowledge , differentiated increase state estimates for the training of young professionals ( an indicator of financial performance and non-state institutions ) , on the one hand, and increasing the responsibility of universities for the quality of its operations , on the other hand, gradually forms in higher education effect " sieve ". Access to higher education is no longer be universal , widespread. Annually , an average of 25-30 % , increases the cost of tuition at universities. Despite this, the number of students in higher education in 2003/2004 academic year is 658.2 thousand people in 2004/2005 -747.1 thousand people and increases in comparison with the same period of 1999/2000 academic year 2 times. Number of students per 10,000 population during this period also increased 2 -fold - from 245 to 497 people . To a large extent , this is due to the stabilization of the economy of Kazakhstan , which is accompanied by rising demand in the labor market for highly qualified professionals , especially in technical and humanitarian areas of training . Market imposes new requirements on the knowledge of experts. These requirements are subject to market conditions , and in the context of globalization become highly dynamic.

The desire for higher education in society becomes more conscious and purposeful. This is manifested in the growth of not only high school graduates seeking to enroll in universities for education. Motives for expanding educational activities . The dynamics of the situation on the labor market requires advanced education , ie training with a focus on technological progress , training generalists capable of rapidly changing profession. Gets the development demand douchivanie in high school on the basis of secondary vocational education and forms of postgraduate training , retraining and skills . Despite the fact that most of the training costs reimbursed for the expense of the students , the demand for educational services varies in a wide range of ages , from high school graduates to leading experts and top managers of firms and government agencies.

However, in the structure of education there is a clear negative trend : an increase in the demand for fashionable, prestigious specialties ( Humanities and social, legal, economic, administrative ) and a reduction of other ( scientific, educational, te6hnicheskie ) . This trend , in spite of budget funding priority to these areas of training and retained a negative impact on the balance of the labor market , creating a surplus of personnel with higher education for one function and deficits in others. Simultaneously observed disparity in education and training . When objectively existing in the labor market needs in blue-collar jobs , the number of students in vocational schools ( schools ) in 2004 compared to 1999 increased from 92 to 99 thousand people , ie 7.6% , with growth ( over the same period ) the number of students in colleges - by 68.7 % and in high schools - 106% .

In terms of the number of universities per 1 million population of Kazakhstan ahead of countries such as USA, France , Japan, Germany and Russia . Quantitative analysis of higher education institutions suggests that at the stage of market formation VPO dynamically increasing the number of universities from 55 in 1991 to 181 in 2004 , ie 3.3 times .

According to the census of 1999 RK highest level of residents with higher education celebrated in the cities of Almaty and Astana , and the lowest was recorded in the North - Kazakhstan , due to the geographical location , the existing level of socio- cultural development and the problem of non-uniform concentration of educational institutions in regions of the country .

In high school system RK problem uneven concentration of educational institutions by region remains relevant and is currently forming a problem staffing sectors and regions of imbalances in supply and demand for labor in regional labor markets . This problem in Kazakhstan has found its solution , including through the expansion of the existing network of universities, which is carried out mainly through the opening of private educational institutions , which number over the period 1996/1997 to 2004/2005 academic year has increased from 52 to 130 ( in 2.5 times ) , and the number of students - from 25 to 400 thousand people (16 times ) .

Academic year	Number of educational institutions, units	Number of students, thou.people	Fullness of universities, people
All universities of the republic
1990/1991	55	287,4	5225
1996/1997	111	280,8	2530
1998/1999	144	318,8	2214
1999 /2000	163	365,4	2242
2003/2004	180	658,2	3657
2004/2005	181	747,1	4128
State universities
1990/1991	55	287,4	225
1996/1997	59	255,8	4336
1998/1999	56	254,9	4552
1999 /2000	57	271,0	4754
2003/2004	46	360,1	7828
2004/2005	51	347,1	6806
Private universities
1990/1991	-	-	-
1996/1997	52	25,0	481
1998/1999	88	63,9	626
1999 /2000	106	94,4	891
2003/2004	134	298,1	2245
2004/2005	130	400,0	3077

Table 1 - Dynamics of higher education institutions, number of students and filling schools RK

Objective necessity to consolidate the positive trends in economic growth and the achievement of its sustainability policy requires improvement of human development , ensuring the formation of labor demanded by competitive economy of the country , and other approaches to addressing the human factor in the overall process of forming the country's sustainable economic growth trends . This new paradigm of socio- economic development of society , when the cornerstone is placed man was embodied in developed and published in 1997 the Strategy "Kazakhstan -2030" and called " Prosperity, security and welfare of all Kazakhs ." The strategy put forward one of the priorities of "Health, education and welfare of the citizens of Kazakhstan", that is the main elements to ensure a positive trend of human development.

 

 

 

 

1.3 International experience evaluating the performance of schools

Today one of the most topical issues in higher education is Kazakhstan's accession to the Bologna process . In this regard, it is impossible not to focus on the effectiveness of higher education, which is an integral part of continuous assessment of its quality. This topic is becoming increasingly popular , so it seems appropriate to conduct some analysis of assessment methods used in the West - in Europe and the USA. Consideration of international experience will allow us to understand how these techniques are optimal for Kazakhstan , and what steps we need to do on the way to quality higher education .

In world practice different approaches to assessing the quality of higher education institutions: reputation , and the overall score .

Reputational approach uses expert mechanism to assess the level of vocational education programs and institutions in general. Scoring is based on measuring quantitative performance of the university. The general approach is based on the principles of " total quality management " (Total Quality Management, TQM) and requirements for quality management systems of the International Organization for Standardization (International Organization for Standardization, ISO).

So , speaking of the methods of estimation of higher education, it should be noted that the main actors in this process from the European side are the European University Association , the European Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education , the European Commission , the National Union of Students in Europe , as well as national agencies and associations, universities and ministries. In America, the main role is played by the universities , and many have their own assessment centers, and independent valuation organizations .

The main objectives of structures , conducting quality assessment of higher education are as follows:

- first, quality assurance of higher education in different contexts : economic, social and cultural ;

- secondly , the maintenance and support higher education institutions in the application of measures to improve the quality of teaching and learning ;

- third, to stimulate the mutual exchange of information on quality assurance.

The main methods of evaluation are assessment , accreditation , auditing and ranking of each of the following methods will be discussed in more detail.

"Evaluation" - in a global sense , the term quality assurance , however, quite often it is viewed parallel to other methods, such as, for example , audit. Distinguish between ' assessment of the subject , "" program evaluation "," school assessment , "" evaluation topics. "

The most common estimates used in Europe and the U.S. , are to evaluate programs and educational institution. This is due to the fact that two other types of more specific and require more effort for the assessment, then the more popular types of assessments allow fairly quickly provide insight into the state university.

Next, consider the " accreditation " , this method has recently been particularly active in the European system is used to ensure the quality of education , particularly in Germany, Norway and the Netherlands, where this method is basic. First, it should be noted that the evaluation and accreditation - are two different things . The report of the European Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education in 2001 , accreditation has been characterized by the following features : accreditation should recognize or not recognize that too is possible that the program or university he meet the necessary standards. In addition to this accreditation includes an assessment on the basis of the ranking , the data are based on the criteria of quality and always " binary " - it's always either "yes" or "no ." Recently received accreditation is particularly prevalent in Germany new accredited training programs , it allows you to make institutions more flexible to create new programs; in the Netherlands recently published National Organization for Accreditation , which is engaged in the external evaluation of universities.

"Audit" - a method in which should be evaluated strengths and weaknesses of mechanisms to ensure the quality of education , which are common in the assessed institution Traditionally audit is most common in the UK and Ireland .

"Rank " is an element of evaluation , during which compares the results of the subjects , programs, institutions or topics. This, according to the European University Association , leads to a constant exchange of good practices . This is the most young and unexplored method under evaluation.

The basic principles on which the assessment is the autonomy and independence from the state and other universities in the selection of assessment procedures , the use of self-evaluation , external evaluation experts and publication of the report. Under the European system of quality assessment , this model is called " a four ." Here I would like to focus on two aspects .

First, the expert group : it often consists of representatives from universities, as well as representatives of the domain of international experts , in some cases, graduates and students , plus professional organizations.

The second point relates to self-esteem. Almost all universities believe that improving the quality of education is their main purpose , therefore it is logical that the majority of self- actively apply . Most often in the self-assessment process included the leaders and teachers of educational institutions

System design parameters such as the development of indicators in the economic and social environment . Educational indicators problem is the difficulty of determining the criteria of quality education , since there are no direct indicators pointing to the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of this process. It must be observed and relatively students, faculty and relatively . Indicators are usually grouped in terms of the conditions of educational activities (the concept of institution , staff, educational resources ) , process indicators ( university management , the content of educational programs , social infrastructure ) , result indicators (quality of bachelor's , master's , the level of employment , the efficiency of research activities ) .

Having examined the basic assessment methodology , it is necessary to do a little comparative analysis of European and American quality assurance systems in higher education.

To begin with it should be noted that in Western countries , there is also a division on the basis of the presence or absence in the state government educational process . In countries where the government and regulation of higher education , such as the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Education, the main emphasis in the evaluation is done just on these structures , systems that are externally rated the educational process. Internal evaluation and self-evaluation is given much less attention. At the same time , there are countries where the state system of higher education play a much smaller role in the forefront just self-esteem. Also there's an evaluation of education by professional experts , or public representatives.

The main difference between the European systems of higher education assessment from the U.S. based on the powers of the government in the formulation of the final assessment purposes , identifying the key stages , as well as in the organization of the educational process after the application of the assessment results. This seems logical , since differences in the evaluation are often based on the initial conditions of institutional and cultural traditions , as well as national discourses through policies . Educational policy is no exception. Thus, in countries where the education system is quite centralized evaluation is conducted with the filing of government agencies , in the absence of such a system or a task is assigned to the universities themselves or by external experts.

Feature of the American system of evaluation is the development of self-esteem. This fact is connected with the fact that until recently the control of the universities by the administration of state and government in general was quite weak . Despite this, American universities have always sought to improve the education system , the emphasis in this quest was placed on self-assessment system , carried out at the school level .

However, the recent trend to the fact that many Scandinavian countries developing self-esteem. One of the most striking examples is Norway , where, according to the Network Norway Council (Network Norway Council), in the last decade, the number of universities conducting the assessment of its own programs , has increased significantly.