Exploring experience of the higher education leaders in navigating quality imperatives

Over the past few years, the concept of quality imperatives, including moral, professional, competitive, and accountability dimensions, has received increasing attention in the literature on quality improvement in higher education institutions (HEIs). However, the directions that guide HEIs toward these quality imperatives have not been sufficiently explored in higher education research. This qualitative case study is conducted at three public universities in Ethiopia, involving 33 academic leaders. Using semi-structured interviews, the study explores the role of operational-level leaders in navigating these quality imperatives to improve higher education quality. Data were analyzed using a thematic approach anchored in the four quality imperatives, from which 12 themes emerged. The results reveal that leadership plays a significant role in fostering quality imperatives for quality improvement. However, the existing leadership practices in the participated universities have not demonstrated satisfactory outcomes. To improve quality, leaders need to integrate quality assurance mechanisms with moral, professional, competitive, and accountability requirements. To support this, the study identifies key leadership roles that help leaders engage actors in curriculum management, staff coordination, and student learning. Moreover, the study provides additional insights into existing leadership practices and highlights the importance of further research on quality imperatives in Ethiopia and similar contexts.