Abstract:
This study is an attempt to conceptualise and enhance the quality management of
the short course offerings at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT). The Higher
Education Quality Committee (HEQC) conducted its first cycle of institutional audit
exercises from 2004 – 2009 at private and public universities in South Africa. This
study follows on the HEQC audit panel’s report, with reference to VUTs offering of
short courses (SCs). The HEQC informed the institution that the quality assurance
system of SCs is not on par with the requirements of the HEQC. Therefore, it does
not meet the minimum standards for an effective quality management system for
SCs. It is imperative for the institution to conceptualise the quality management of
SCs and to develop a system that ensures ongoing improvement. This study
addresses this gap by conceptualising the quality management of SCs on national
level in higher education. The study draws on good practices on national level that
can inform the refinement of the existing quality assurance system for SCs at VUT.
The empirical study was conducted with public institutions of higher learning in
South Africa. Quantitative data were collected from dedicated SCs and/or quality
assurance or quality management offices at all 23 public institutions of higher
learning. Five universities were identified as institutions with good practice, based on
quantitative information that was gathered, analysed and interpreted during this
study.
The study revealed that it is imperative for higher education institutions to develop
quality assurance systems that are based on cyclical processes of ongoing
improvement, such as the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act), PIRI (Plan-Implement-
Review-Improve) and ADRI (Approach-Deployment-Results-Improvement) models.
A key assumption of the research is that quality assurance for SCs at VUT should
be aligned with the institution’s quality assurance system. The study highlights the
value of the principles of Total Quality Management, the notion of continuous
improvement, self-evaluation and external monitoring. Recommendations in this
study suggest that VUT should conduct further institutional benchmarking exercises
with the five institutions that received commendations and full delegations, in order
to develop a conceptual model for understanding and enhancing its SC offerings.
