Standards or surveillance? A feminist-led critique of how quality assurance frameworks influence critical pedagogy in tertiary education

This article explores tensions between quality assurance (QA) and tertiary education practice that are underpinned by critical pedagogy. It acknowledges some of the benefits QA mechanisms can bring but outlines problems with many aspects of how we understand such concepts as ‘standards’, ‘quality’ and even ‘learning’ when verified through internal and external structures that are often more interested in performing QA than the actuality of ensuring quality practice. I discuss the administrative burden QA accreditation systems create and argue that this mostly gets picked up by women. In conclusion, I encourage critical educators to think carefully about the extent to which their actions uphold these structures to the detriment of more radical, often disruptive and always hopeful approaches to education.