Institutionalization of Quality Assurance Culture and Organizational Learning: A Study of IQA Practices in Georgian Universities

Abstract

The current study explores the recent developments and practices of internal quality assurance (IQA) in three Georgian universities (HEIs). It examines the aforementioned universities in the context of the changing national higher education policies and recently established QA surveillance system, introducing measures for external validation of quality. Bounded by the new national policy and QA legislative framework, the study shows that HEIs in Georgia have been formally urged to build up IQA offices that would potentially enhance the quality of the primary processes. By examining the linkage between the external requirements and internal practices for improving quality in academia, it addresses the key analytical question of whether Georgian universities are becoming learning organizations with respect to IQA management. The data collected through interviews with selected QA management personnel at universities was framed under an integrated approach of two theoretical perspectives – neo-institutional and resource dependency views of organizational learning in relation to the activities that aim at improving the quality of the primary processes within. As evidenced in the findings, the definitions and stipulations outlined in the external QA policies have special preferences with regard to how IQA arrangements should be developed indicating the close linkage between EQA and IQA. Additionally, the reviewed cases have developed the basic academic architecture of the learning organization, but the type of organizational learning they are acquiring is twofold: internally (inherently) evolved and externally (superficially) imposed. Of the organizational learning activities in QA management, the reviewed HEIs have been most effective in designing internally evolved activities in systematic problem solving and external benchmarking, whereas the learning activities, such as experimentation, internal benchmarking, and knowledge-sharing remain relatively premature and standardized, exhibiting organizational mimicry and conformity in complying with the external policies and perceptions.