Trance, Transparency and Transformation: The impact of external quality monitoring on higher education

This paper discusses the impact of external quality monitoring (EQM) on higher education, and identifies areas in higher education where changes have taken place as a result of such external initiatives. Of special interest is the question whether quality improvement actually is the result of the many EQM systems implemented. By interpreting available data an ambiguous answer is provided, highlighting some of the typical side-effects of current EQM systems at the institutional level. The paper argues that lack of effects directly related to quality improvement should not be conceived as an EQM design error alone but as a misconception of how organisational change actually takes place. In the conclusion, it is claimed that a more dynamic view on how organisations change, highlighting the responsibility of the institutional leadership as 'translators of meaning', may contribute to a more useful process.