The University Quality Assurance and Student Services Relationship : A Case Study of the University of Oslo and Uppsala University

Abstract

This study explores the factors that influence the relationship between university student services and quality assurance. In the European higher education community, quality assurance efforts have primarily focused on aspects of teaching and research while concerns over quality assurance processes in student services have typically taken a backseat. As higher education becomes more globalized and universities experience growing competitive pressures, quality assurance in student services has become a topic of growing importance. Therefore, this thesis presents an analysis of the university setting and the behavioral aspects of university administrators that contribute to the quality assurance-student services relationship at the University of Oslo in Norway and Uppsala University in Sweden. Actor- centered institutionalism is adapted to the higher education field and guides the structure and organization of this study. Through the analysis of documents and interviews with university administrators, the university setting and actor characteristics, such as capabilities, perceptions and preferences, and interactions, are analyzed. Finally, a discussion of the resultant data reveals that the organization of the university setting is a key element influencing the quality assurance-student services relationship. Additionally, other factors, such as competitive pressures, were found to influence and change this relationship. This is likely the first research of this kind within the Norwegian and Swedish context.