IMPLEMENTING QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR QUALITY CULTURE DEVELOPMENT (Widyatama University Case Study)

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the implementation of quality assurance for establishing quality culture at higher education institution. This paper looks at the effectiveness of quality assurance as a tool of quality culture establishment at Widyatama University Bandung – Indonesia. Data are collected through evaluate through quality management documents, observation, inquiries, self-administered questionnaires. The respondents of the survey were managers of the university in academic affairs as well as administrative affairs.The study reveals that all managers at Widyatama University aware that quality assurance is important in higher education and building quality culture will sustains the institution. Widyatama University has implemented quality assurance in accordance with both of international standards through ISO 9001:2008 and the Government Regulation through the accreditation process. The study suggests that the commitment to Quality Assurance principles and the pursuit of excellence by the staff have to be entrenched in the culture of the organization, and are not dependent solely on loyalty to the institutional leadership.