Issues to Improve the Quality of Education in Higher Education Institutions
Asatulla Mustafaqulov
Associate Professor, PhD., Jizzakh Polytechnic Institute, Uzbekistan Khurshid Abduvaliev
Associate Professor Jizzakh Polytechnic Institute, Uzbekistan
Abstract: Modern trends in quality management of competitive training, scientific and pedagogical essence of such concepts as quality, quality of education, quality management of education, TQM (Total Quality Management) - the concept of general quality management, principles, models of implementation in higher education, competitive training The experience of foreign countries in quality management and quality assessment of education is analyzed.
Keywords: modern trends, quality, quality of education, quality management of education Total Quality Management - the concept of general quality management, principles.
Introduction
The world-accepted concept of modern education identifies the management of the education system, the improvement of the process and tools and technologies for assessing the quality of education as an urgent task. In the system of higher education, the issue of ensuring the internationalization of education, international mobility of students, global trends related to the rapid change of educational programs and the introduction of modern quality management technologies is gaining in importance. Research is being conducted on the phenomenon of massification in higher education, new models of funding, factors of quality assurance in education, requirements for quality standards, the impact of global rankings on socialization, the characteristics of creative and innovative universities. This contributes to the organization and management of the educational process of higher education institutions, the content of training, evaluation of cooperation activities, effective implementation of external and internal monitoring to ensure the quality of education of accreditation agencies.
The main results and findings
As a result of the creation of a single educational space around the world, mutual recognition of diplomas, degrees and qualifications, the introduction of a single credit system for mastering educational programs, the creation of internationally recognized standards for the quality of education and its evaluation are becoming increasingly important. The intellectual potential of modern societies is focused on training professionals capable of creating and implementing innovative technologies in connection with the development of new types of thinking. In the process of training future specialists on the basis of integration of science and practice in higher education institutions, the importance of coordinated development of such activities as teaching, research, design is growing rapidly.
In the world, there is a growing need for continuous independent learning and education, training and retraining of specialists in the context of rapid "obsolescence" of knowledge.
There is a need to improve the organization and management of the educational process in higher education in connection with the transfer of students from the position of a passive object of educational activity to an active position as a reflexive researcher. Widespread
introduction of developmental and person-centered technologies, training for independent learning, use of ICT and Internet opportunities are recognized as one of the important conditions.
The following trends in the world today play a leading role in the management of the quality of training in higher education:
1. Development of uniform criteria and standards to ensure the quality of education in European countries in the framework of the Bologna process;
2. Creation, development and harmonization of the national system of accreditation of educational programs of European countries;
3. TQM - development and implementation of a quality system of higher education on the basis of the concept of universal quality management, International ISO 9000: 2000, ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education), the European Fund for Quality Management model and other national models;
4. Organization of the quality management system of the educational process on the basis of the principles of the concept of universal quality management;
5. Transition from external control of the quality of the educational process and its results on the basis of the national certification and accreditation system to the system of internal self- assessment of the educational institution on the basis of this or that selected model;
6. Although external control has made significant progress in terms of normative and scientific support, it is based on the episodic quantification of indicators, which does not allow to fully identify existing problems and achievements, planning to improve the quality of education [5. 92 b.].
The quality of education depends primarily on the quality of implementation of state educational standards, the requirements of society and consumers, the goals of the university, the norms, the conditions created, the quality of the educational process and the final results (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Organizers of the concept of quality of education[2]
The quality management system in education is based on the following principles:
understanding of the requirements for education, taking into account the achievements of scientific and technological progress and international standards;
consumer orientation requires mobilization and dynamism from a highly competitive management system in the labor market;
Quality of education
Objectives, quality of norms
Conditional quality
Quality of educational
process
The quality of the final results
continuous improvement of the educational process, taking into account the results of monitoring.
The interest in the introduction of quality management systems in the universities of the country can be explained by:
With the establishment of the transition to the "quality stage" at the final stage of the "National Training Program" of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
increasing competition in the market of educational and scientific services, increasing demand for innovative development;
state policy and reforms in the education system;
that quality is a key condition for HEI accreditation;
the presence of factors such as the country’s integration into the world educational space and the signing of the Bologna Declaration.
At the meeting of the participants of the Bologna Process in Berlin (September 2005), the main intermediate priorities were identified: quality assurance, two-tier system, recognition of levels and periods of study. In this process, the issue of quality comes first, and its provision is the responsibility of universities.
In the scientific and pedagogical literature, it is noted that the quality of education is mainly assessed by learning outcomes, with the main emphasis on cognitive issues. It is emphasized that the quality of education is assessed not only by the "exit" results of graduates, but also by the quality of the educational process, the created conditions [4. 23 b.].
The quality of education is interpreted as a social integral category that determines the effectiveness and condition of the educational process, its compliance with the requirements of society and the state, the formation and development of civic, domestic and professional competencies of the individual.
In modern education concepts, the quality of education is interpreted as an integral feature of the education system in accordance with the state normative requirements of educational outcomes, social and personal expectations.
The model of education created in the years of independence and developing at a new stage today is aimed at ensuring the quality of education in accordance with the requirements of the state, society and the individual, and is implemented on the basis of person-centered and competent approaches.
Based on the above, we propose to define the concept of "quality of education" as the educational process, the conditions created and the high level of training of students, which ensures the achievement of the results set by state educational standards and state requirements.
However, the concept of quality may be perceived differently by groups interested in higher education and by different competent organizations.
It is known that the system of science and education in the Republic of Uzbekistan is being further enriched on the basis of world experience, and thus, in the process of globalization, higher education in our country is finding its place in the world education system. This means that the category of "quality" in education serves as a leading component. Whatever the type and stage of the national economy and education, it is based on the criterion of quality in its existence and functioning in a market economy. Quality assurance in higher education leads to the training of mature personnel. In this regard, serious work has been done in our country: the
"National Training Program" is being fully implemented, two-level education in higher education, a rating system for assessing student knowledge, modern textbooks have been created, innovative technologies have been introduced in education. At the same time, the world
experience is being studied, which in turn indicates that higher education in Uzbekistan is finding its place in the process of globalization as an integral part of world higher education.
In our view, such processes need to be further explored by the scientific community, hence the need to fully understand and interpret the essence of quality. At the same time, it is expedient to critically analyze the world experience.
The issue of quality and quality assessment in higher education emerged as the most pressing issue in the world at the end of the twentieth century. At a conference held by UNESCO in 1998, the World Declaration was adopted, and its Article 11 was entitled “Quality Assessment” and defined quality as a multidimensional concept in higher education. According to him, educational and academic programs, research work, professors, students, educational buildings, material and technical base, equipment, training of quality personnel for society, the academic environment are among the programs that determine the quality. It also provides information on quality assessment organizations [14. Issue 6, p 22].
Figure 2. The concept of "quality" of higher education approaches to detection [3. p 443-446.].
Approaches to defining the concept of ‘quality’ in higher education
To look at the concept of "quality" in higher education in relation to the factors that affect
it (individual or complex)
The quality of measures to assess the educational process, learning outcomes and other aspects of the activities of universities
Quality of student admission activities
Quality of educational programs, curricula
Quality of teaching and learning
Quality of student results
To look at the concept of "quality" in higher education from the point of view of various
stakeholders in higher education
Accountability of public authorities to taxpayers on the effectiveness of budget
spending on education
The level of teacher-knowledge transfer, the existence of an optimal learning environment, and the level of interaction between teaching and research are explained
in terms of learning effectiveness
Students' education allows them to achieve their personal goals, increase their level of personal development, and become more
involved in society
Whether the knowledge and skills acquired by employers-university graduates during
their studies satisfy them
Shareholders financing the activities of non- governmental educational institutions are interested in increasing the value of their
business
The analysis of foreign scientific sources shows that no definite and definitive conclusion has been reached on the coverage of the concept of quality in world higher education and its universal interpretation. Still, there are several interpretations of it. Western scholars have different views on this issue. Diana Green's views on the interpretation of the concept of quality in higher education are unique [7. P.1-21.]. He thinks about the traditional meaning of quality.
According to him, the delivery of products, services and success at the level of customer demand, the acquisition of image is a quality.
In our opinion, it is a modern requirement that the higher education institution has a unique image at the local and international levels and provides services in accordance with the requirements of the stakeholder.
D. Green's view that products or services conformance to specification or standards is also common. In higher education, a student’s high achievement in learning and sufficient qualifications are assessed by standards. For example, in British higher education institutions, compliance with the "Academic Standards" is also considered qualitative.
D. Green also comments on Quality as fitness for purpose. Green explains this idea by asking a few questions: if the goal of higher education is to provide mature people to the community, then can they accomplish this task, can the curriculum reflect sufficient knowledge and skills, and the vision and mission of the university? ) Is mKpo being done? such as.
Hence, it is believed that education standards are the basis for determining quality through these views, but there are also conflicting views on the definition and interpretation of the purpose of higher education. There is also a debate over whether the purpose of higher education should be determined by students, teachers, academics, management or the government. Of course, the goals of these interest groups in higher education are different from each other and they are compatible. It also shows that higher education is multi-purpose.
Analysis of foreign experience in managing and ensuring the quality of higher education institutions shows that, despite the diversity of quality management models, their exact content and essence is determined by a set of external and internal (objective and subjective) factors affecting the activities of higher education. . The following factors are taken into account when choosing a model of education quality management: type of management structure, mission, quality policy, objectives, content and methods of developing a quality management model, development of quality assessment procedures, methods, criteria and indicators.
The type of management structure of the higher education institution is its legal status and relationship with the state, the degree of independence of officials, the degree of academic and financial autonomy of the higher education institution, material and technical capabilities, quality policy and competence of the university administration related to factors such as rate.
As a result of the analysis of many definitions of this concept, it is possible to come to some conclusions:
first, any management is a goal-oriented activity;
second, management differs from other types of activities in its specific aspects;
third, in this process it is possible to objectively distinguish between controllable and controlled systems;
fourth, management is characterized by the transition of a system from one particular quality state to another, to a higher level.
Management in the educational process is a goal-oriented and specially organized activity of the subjects of education.
One of the most common methods of quality assurance in higher education is Total Qaulity Management. General quality management is one of the business management strategies, which means that the quality category is followed in all processes of the organization. At the heart of overall quality management is the issue of quality, and the responsibility for customer satisfaction must be felt from the first head of the organization to the lowest employee.
According to UNESCO guidelines developed by Lazar, Grunberg and Parleular, overall quality management is based on factors such as “continuous improvement”, customer satisfaction, strategic management, quality assurance based on a clear system, and management's trust in subordinates [10. p 49].Van der Berge believes that overall quality management is an effective way to satisfy customers through the efforts of all employees in the organization.[13. p. 25]. A.
Karimov and L. And the Peregudovs “Total quality management” using the phrase, it is considered a mass movement of all employees and departments of the university to carry out quality work [1. 54 b.]. The application of this method in higher education is associated with the influence of external socio-economic factors of the education system. It was first used in 1986 at Delaware County Community College, Delaware County Community College, USA, to increase efficiency in administrative and admissions work. It was used in 1989 in the same fields at Oregon State University [11. Page 16]. This method later became widespread in other countries.
For example, in the Scandinavian countries, including the Swedish Higher Education Agency, a system for quality assessment and efficiency in education based on general quality management has been developed [8. Pp. 99-107.1].
Hence, the overall quality management is mainly in the production, it can be said that the process of continuous improvement of quality, aimed at meeting the needs and desires of more customers.
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The Balanced Score Card (KMST) is also one of the methods to improve quality and is widely used in manufacturing and business. Its application in higher education has increased in recent decades. The advantage of this method is that all the activities and actions of the organization lead to the achievement of its vision (Vision) and the fulfillment of its mission (Mission). The future is the future position of the institution or a long-term goal that reflects the future of the institution optimistically. The process of implementing the CSTO is to achieve promising goals while maintaining a balance between the "Key Performance Indicator". For example, perspective goals in higher education can be divided into the following areas:- Prospects for education - prospects for the organization and development of education and research;
- Prospects for organizational work - prospects for the organization and development of the work process;
- Personnel prospects - the prospects of providing employers with competitive personnel;
- financial prospects - the prospects for increasing extra-budgetary funds and investment financing.
Experience from economics shows that in higher education, such promising areas as above are equally relevant, and it is desirable to develop while maintaining mutual balance. In the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy, CSTO has been used in government agencies, health care, and education for many years. For example, in Italy, the CMST method was widely used by the Ministry of Higher Education to carry out planning work in universities for 2007- 2009. [6. p2] The University of Edinburgh in the UK developed a specific KMST in 2002 on management and strategic planning. It contained 32 key indicators that reflect the
implementation of the strategic goals and objectives of the university [15]. It can be seen that this method is mainly useful for processes that have an indicative result. In Romania, this method has been used to improve HEI management [16]. The Kaizen or Continuous Quality Improvement method involves the involvement of all aspects of the organization, activities, all employees (from the manager to the lower level employees) in achieving quality. Kaizen puts an end to unnecessary and useless activities and activities in the organization and focuses the whole process on the development of the organization based on the widespread use of scientific news and experimental experiences. Kaizen (Kaizen) is a Japanese word meaning “development” and is used in science to mean continuous quality improvement. Kaizen was mainly used in manufacturing and business, and originated in Japan after World War II. It has contributed to the high success of Toyota and other major companies in Japan. Continuous quality improvement has been used in higher education since the 1990s. For example, universities in the United States, such as Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Dakota, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, and Rochester Technology. Continuous quality improvement at the Rochester Institute of Technology has been used to improve student service, adapt curricula to student needs, and increase the efficiency of administrative operations. [12. 35-48.p6] It has also been used to improve campus infrastructure and the learning process at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland, the University of Wolverhampton in the UK, and the University of Aston. Continuous quality improvement has also been used in the development of certain disciplines. For example, it was used at the University of Arizona School of Pharmacy in the United States to improve the subject of "Scientific Research in Pharmacy." It aims to increase the integration of science with other disciplines, to train students to study independently, to pass lectures with innovative methods..[9.p. 11]
Along with the above-mentioned methods of improving quality or achieving quality, new types of it are emerging in the present period, but it has not yet been decided which of them will be used, when, in what institution and in what condition. Researchers are still debating, and the methods are being further improved and modified. The demand and need for the application of these methods in higher education is also growing day by day. Of course, universities in Western countries and developed Asian countries have gained significant experience in this area. The same experience and practices require that among them the role of methods such as benchmarking and tuning is becoming increasingly important in higher education. Because benchmarking and tuning methods are widely used in foreign universities and rich experience has been formed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, achieving quality in higher education is a guarantee of its potential, economic stability. In foreign countries, the concept of quality management in higher education applies, and it has components such as quality assurance, evaluation. These three components are referred to in terms of evaluation, audit, and accreditation, and although they are specific in nature, they are common in content. They are also given different meanings in different countries. In particular, there are several types of accreditation, depending on the scope of its implementation. Accreditation in the Republic of Uzbekistan in this regard is characterized by the implementation of specific goals and objectives, taking into account international standards.
Educational standards are the most important document that guarantees quality. In foreign countries, two types are used in practice, namely, educational standards and academic standards.
The concept of academic standards has been introduced in autonomous universities, but in most cases it also applies to state-owned and autonomous educational standards.
Both the educational standard and the academic standard have in common in terms of guaranteeing the quality of education, but they may not be similar in terms of the exclusivity of the educational programs. With the abundance of elective subjects in their curricula, the educational standards of higher education institutions differ from each other. In foreign countries, the quality of education is mainly dealt with by non-governmental organizations, organizations operating on a social basis. Their audits and conclusions are legalized as public opinion. Such non-governmental organizations may begin to form in the future in the country.
This can be based on the boards of trustees currently being formed in higher education institutions.
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