Beginning with the earliest efforts to regulate schools, the author reveals the rationale behind accountability and outlines the historical development of how US federal and state policies, accreditation practices, private-sector interests, and internal requirements have become so important to institutional success and survival

As higher education becomes a key determinant for economic competitiveness, institutions face increasing pressure to demonstrate their fitness to meet the needs of society and individuals. Blending innovative research with richly contextualised examples this unique Research Handbook provides authoritative insights from around the globe on how best to understand, assess and improve quality, performance and accountability in higher education.

The latest volume in the Routledge International Studies in Higher Education series, Accountability in Higher Education takes an in-depth look at accountability initiatives around the world. Various evaluations, reporting schemes, and indicator systems have been initiated both to inform the public about higher education performance and to help transform universities and colleges and improve their functioning. This edited collection provides a comparative analysis of the promises, perils and paradoxes of accountability, and the potential effect on power structures and higher education autonomy, trust and the legitimacy of the sector. Part I describes how accountability is perceived and understood in different regions of the world, identifies some of the most common elements in established accountability initiatives, especially related to quality assurance, and provides direction for possible future development. Part II focuses on responses to new demands for accountability at institutional, national and international levels, and provides practical guidance for handling accountability going forward, emphasizing the dynamic relationship between international development, government strategies and organizational change. This volume is a must-have resource for HE managers, administrators, policy makers, researchers, HE graduate students and those interested or involved with HE accountability practices.

This comprehensive volume clarifies the historical, technical, and philosophical details present in the various quality assurance theories and policy systems of the American higher education system. The authors, E. Grady Bogue and Kimberely Bingham Hall, examine the theories of quality, including goal achievement, outcomes, value-added impacts, and reputation. They trace the philosophical heritage and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of quality assurance policy systems such as accreditation, rankings and ratings, outcomes, licensure, program reviews, follow-up studies, and total quality management. They also recommend a set of policy principles for improving their integration and effectiveness. Besides offering the details of policy systems for defining, developing, and demonstrating quality, this work also delves into the moral and ethical issues inherent in quality measures of higher education institutions. Bogue and Hall assert that quality cannot exist without integrity in personnel, policies, and programs. Political and academic officers must work together more closely in order to design appropriate collegiate accountability systems. Administrators, professors, and government leaders would all benefit from this thorough analysis of past and present quality assurance programs and the subsequent recommendations for future policies.

This book examines current practices in assessment of learning and accountability at a time when accrediting boards, the federal government and state legislatures are requiring higher education to account for such outcomes as student retention, graduation, and learning.

Meet calls for increased quality and understand accreditation expectations Author Linda Suskie is internationally recognized for her work in higher education assessment, and she is a former vice president of a major regional accreditor. In Five Dimensions of Quality: A Common Sense Guide to Accreditation and Accountability in Higher Education she provides a simple, straightforward model for understanding and meeting the calls for increased quality in higher education ever-present in today's culture. Whether your institution is seeking accreditation or not, the five dimensions she outlines will help you to identify ways to improve institutional quality and demonstrate that quality to constituents. For those wading through the accreditation process, which has become more difficult in recent years due to increasing regulation and pressure for greater accountability, Suskie offers expert guidance on understanding the underlying principles of the expectations of accrediting bodies. Using the model presented here, which is much easier to understand than the sometimes complex resources provided by individual accrediting bodies, American colleges and universities can understand what they need to do to earn and maintain their regional accreditation as well as improve overall institutional quality for their students. You'll be able to: Identify ways to improve institutional quality Demonstrate the quality of your institution to internal and external constituents Avoid wasting time and energy on misguided institutional processes to comply with accreditation requirements By focusing on why colleges and universities should take particular actions rather than only on what those actions should be, Five Dimensions of Quality gives them the knowledge and strategies to prepare for a successful review. It is an ideal resource for leaders, accreditation committee members, and everyone on campus.

With contributions from leading experts in the field, this comprehensive and timely book presents the principles and guidelines for effective accountability for states, colleges, and universities. Achieving Accountability in Higher Education clarifies the concept of accountability for both public and private colleges and universities and explores its reaches and limits. The book examines the most recent developments, offers current models for each of the major approaches to accountability, and analyzes their shortcomings.