From Compliance to Improvement: Reframing Quality Assurance in Higher Education

Abstract

Quality assurance has become a central governance method in modern higher education, yet institutions increasingly view evaluation as a compliance task rather than a developmental one. This paper explores the root cause of this tension by analyzing the relationship between instrumental logic (measurement, indicators, and evidence) and value logic (educational purpose, student growth, and institutional meaning) within audit-based evaluation systems. Through qualitative document analysis, the study shows how evaluation tools gradually become evaluation goals. The emphasis on measurable indicators promotes documentation practices, performative compliance, and short-term optimization, while neglecting long-term educational outcomes and institutional uniqueness. The article proposes a reconstruction model for quality assurance grounded in value-based evaluation: flexible indicators that integrate baseline standards with institutional missions, combine quantitative and qualitative evidence, engage in dialogic peer review, and implement continuous improvement cycles. The study argues that effective quality assurance doesn't mean abandoning measurement but rather repositioning it as a tool that serves educational purposes. This framework contributes to ongoing discussions on audit culture and offers policy-relevant implications for higher education regulators and institutions seeking developmental rather than performative evaluation.