Impact of Quality Assurance and Accreditation (QAA) on Academic Quality Enhancement in Higher Education Institutions in Nepal

Abstract

QAA as a means to enhance academic quality in the Nepalese higher education system has gained prominence as one of the strategies. This study attempts to determine the effects of QAA on academic quality enhancement in three community campuses, namely Damak Multiple Campus, Madhyabindu Multiple Campus, and Balkumari College, which have been re-accredited by the UGC Nepal. In this study, the research design involves comparative case study methodology that employs both qualitative documentary analysis and quantitative institutional scoring along with descriptive statistical analysis using SPSS software. Data collection involved gathering secondary data from Self-Study Reports, strategic plans, annual reports, and institutional documents. The data analysis process was done based on the indicators of academic quality enhancement in UGC Nepal. The results suggest that the process of re-accreditation has greatly improved the internal quality assurance system and academic quality enhancement. Among the three institutions, Madhyabindu Multiple Campus has shown highest level of performance in overall dimensions, followed by Damak Multiple Campus, whereas Balkumari College has performed relatively well even with scarce resources. Moreover, systematic application of quality assurance has greatly helped in improving teaching learning, research productivity, ICT integration, and institutional governance.