AN ASSESSMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

(HEIs) QUALITY COMPLIANCE IN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC

UNIVERSITIES IN LUSAKA DISTRICT.

DISSERTATION PRESENTATION

By

MISHECK PHIRI

Student ID:718000298

REF: HSSREC-2022-JAN-034
ORDER OF PRESENTATION
 Background of the study

 Statement of the problem

 Objectives of the study

 Significance of the study

 Theoretical framework

 Literature review

 Research methodology

 Research findings

 References
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
 The increase in the number of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs),
particularly private institutions, has led to increased demand for
higher educational standards and better quality.

 To achieve globally acceptable standards, many countries and regional

blocs have set up national and regional quality assurance frameworks
to set quality criteria and standards to be followed (Kasimba, 2020).
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY CONT…
 In Zambia, the government through the ministry of education regulated and
audited HEIs until 2013 when the Higher Education Authority (HEA) was set up by
an act of parliament no 4 of 2013 (Kasimba, 2020). To provide quality assurance,
register and regulate HEIs.

• The HEA acts as an advisory unit to Higher Education Institutions in Zambia

(Hampwaye and Mweemba, 2015).

• According to the HEA (2021), there are 53 private and 7 public Higher Education

Institutions which are registered by HEA since 2021.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
 The Higher Education Authority is mandated to register Higher Education

Institutions (HEIs), conduct institutional audits, accredit learning programmes,

approve affiliations, and inspections of HEIs (HEA, 2019).

 However, some of the private and public universities have failed to comply with

the Higher Education Authority standards and this has been noticed in some

Universities (HEA, 2019).

 Therefore, this study has assessed quality compliance in private and public

Universities in Lusaka district.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
 The general objective of the study was an assessment of universities’ quality
compliance in private and public universities. The study of selected Universities in
Lusaka district.

 The specific objectives of the study were:

1. To establish if private and public universities understand quality compliance.

2. To ascertain the quality assurance practices in private and public universities in

Zambia.

3. To determine the quality standards that must be met before an institution of higher
learning can be registered with the Higher Education Authority.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
 This study was guided by the following research questions:
1. What is the understanding of quality compliance by both private and
public Universities in Zambia?

2. What are the quality assurance practices in private and public

universities in Zambia?

3. What are the quality requirements that must be met and maintained
for the Higher Education Authority to award a license to a University?
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
 This study will bridge the research gap in the area of quality compliance in
Higher Education Institutions.

 The study will serve as a motivation and reference for further research in the
area of Higher Education in Zambia.

 This study will contribute to the establishment of a baseline for the status of
quality compliance in HEIs in Zambia.

 The study will also raise awareness to the stakeholders regarding the
problems in the development and implementation of quality in HEIs.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
 A theoretical framework for this study was anchored on Compliance Behaviour.
The compliance behaviour is explained with the aid of several theories.

 As described in the neo-institutional theory Meyer and Rowan (1977), the

loosely coupled or decoupling behaviour of organizations concerning external
rules is commonly used to analyse compliance modes.

 Based on Scandinavian institutional theory and translation perspective, Harvey

and Williams (2019) argue that HEIs translate compliance by copying, adding,
omission or alteration.
THE SAMPLE OF LITERATURE
AUTHORS RESEARCH TITLES RESEARCH FINDINGS
REVIEW
RESEARCH GAPS
Parlea Quality Assurance His findings established Parlea (2019) He did
(2019) and Accreditation that quality assurance deals not consider that
with progress and quality of higher
sustainable process of education can also
evaluation toward be measured from
preserving the quality of accreditation
education. aspects.

Frohlich Factors that His findings revealed that Frohlich (2019) his
(2019) contributed to the several factors contributed study only focused
development of to the decline of quality in in public higher
Quality in HEIs public higher education learning institutions
without considering
private ones.
THE SAMPLE OF LITERATURE REVIEW CONT..
Giesecke Quality Assurance and His study indicated the Giesecke (2006) his
(2006) the Role of Accreditation benefits of accreditation study focused on
of private higher private higher
education institutions in education
Central and Eastern institutions without
Europe considering public
institutions.

Sursock Examining Quality She discovered that Sursock (2011) she

(2011) Culture Part II quality assurance must focused only on the
be taken as a concern staff development
by all staff members. without
considering other
factors.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
 Design: A survey research design was used

 Methods: Both quantitative and qualitative methods

 Study site: Lusaka District

 Population of the study: staff from Universities and Higher education Authority
officers

 Sample size: 100 participants. (90 from Universities and 10 from Higher
education Authority).
RESEARCH METHODOGY CONT…
 Sampling Techniques: Simple random sampling was used to select
staff from selected universities while purposive sampling was used to
select HEA officers

 Instruments: Questionnaires and interview guides

 Data analysis: SPSS for quantitative data set and thematic analysis for
qualitative data set was used.
DELIMITATION
 Delimitations

The study was limited to private and public universities of Lusaka

District.
RESEARCH FINDINGS- OBJECTIVE 1
Respondents from HEA were asked if universities understand what quality
compliance is.

 87% agreed that universities understand what quality compliance is while 13%
did not agree.

Respondents from Universities were asked if their institutions are aware of

quality compliance needed by the HEA

 (91%) they are aware while (9%) they are not aware.
RESEARCH FINDINGS- OBJECTIVE 1 CONT…
Respondents from HEA were asked if they agree that the quality
compliance from the Higher Education Authority are effective.

 42% strongly agreed, 37% agreed, 14% disagreed and 7% strongly

disagreed. Effectiveness of quality compliance from HEA

7% Strongly agree
14% Agree
42% Disagree
Strongly disagree
37%
RESEARCH FINDING - OBJECTIVE 2
 Respondents from HEI were asked the quality assurance practices that
are being done at their respective universities.

 39% indicated classroom-based student assessments, 28% self-

evaluation and 33% indicated staff appraisals.
Quality assurance practices in universities

Classroom-based student assessments

33%
39%
Self-evaluation

Staff appraisal
28%
RESEARCH FINDING - OBJECTIVE 2 CONT…
Respondents from Universities were asked if they are satisfied with
enforcement of quality standards by HEA

 89% are satisfied and 11% are not satisfied.

Are yiu satisfied with enforcemennt of quality standards by HEA
11%

No
Yes

89%
RESEARCH FINDING - OBJECTIVE 3
 Respondents from HEA were asked for the quality requirements that must be met
and maintained for the University to be given a license.
VARIABLES REQUIREMENTS THAT MUST BE MET AND MAINTAINED BY THE HEA

FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE %

PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE 18 32

ACADEMIC STAFF 15 26

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS 12 21

STUDENT ADMISSION AND 9 16

LEARNER SUPPORT

VISION, MISSION AND STRATEGY 3 5

TOTAL 57 100
RESEARCH FINDING - OBJECTIVE 3 CONT…
Respondents from HEA were asked for the quality requirements that
must be met and maintained for the Authority to award a license to a
University.

 “A university should have a policy on staff recruitment and staff

development. It should also have a proven sufficient numbers of
qualified full-time staff”.

 “A university should have good quantity and quality of physical

academic infrastructure”.
 “A university should comply with the accreditation requirements of

the learning programme from the HEA”.

 “University should have a vision statement which has been formally

adopted. A Mission statement which reflects the character of the

Institution and a Strategy which indicates short, medium, and long

term objectives”.
CONCLUSION
 Higher Education Authority agreed that universities understand what
quality compliance.

 The quality assurance practices that are being done at respective

universities include classroom-based student assessments, self-
evaluation and staff appraisals.

 A University should have good quantity and quality of physical

academic infrastructure for the Authority to award a license.
RECOMMENDATION
1. It is recommends that HEIs must adequately implement policies and
procedures related to quality assurance practices as stipulated by
the HEA guidelines.

2. HEIs should invest more in physical infrastructure, good academic

programmes and qualified academic staff.

3. A national wide Higher Education Institutions quality compliance

assessment should be done frequently.
REFERENCES
Cheng Z, et al. (2015). Computationally Predicting Protein RNA interactions using only positive
and unlabelled examples. Bio inform Comput Biol 13(3); 1541005.

HEA. (2019). Higher Education Authority Annual report 2019. Lusaka: Government Printer.

HEA. (2021). The State of Higher Education Report. Lusaka: Government printers.

Higher Education Act of (2013). Higher education at the crossroads of disruption: the University of
the 21st century. Emerald Publishing, ISBN 9781800715042

Mwiya, etal (2017). Higher Education Quality and Student Satisfaction Nexus: Evidence from
Zambia. Kitwe: Scientific research institution.

Phebby Mwangala Kasimba (2020). Quality assurance in Zambian Higher Education: A new dawn.
Lusaka: Government Printers.
THE END

THANKS YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT