Closing the student feedback loop: a case study of a disconnect between well-meaning quality goals and the realities of meaningful change in an institutional quality culture

This article presents findings that emerged from a longitudinal case study of external quality assurance as enacted in a case study university in New Zealand. In three of five external quality assurance cycles, the university received recommendations to close the student feedback loop. However, closing the student feedback loop is known to be challenging, and the experience of the case study institution was no exception. Good intentions by some teaching staff about closing the student feedback loop, which were subsequently embedded in university internal policy, were not widely implemented due to resistance by other staff and practical challenges.