Home – Home – Jornals – "Philosophy of Education" 2015 number 4

The authors analyze the theory and practice of introduction and implementation of the quality management system (QMS) in the higher education institution. The article provides an overview of approaches and opinions of foreign and Russian researchers on the purpose, necessity and effectiveness of QMS in higher education. Some experience in the implementation of QMS is presented based on the analysis of foreign sources and foreign practice of implementing the said system. It is noted that, originally, the quality management systems (for products and services) were applied in industry, where quantitative indicators are critical and enable to monitor the dynamics of production development and to improve the activity of the enterprise. The purpose of this article is to identify the problems related to the implementation of QMS in the education sector in general and higher education in particular. Formalization is often the main manifestation of the actions of QMS, but it not only gives no help in improving the quality of education, but also prevents it in every way. The specifics of the higher education system, such as the duality of the organizational structure (administrative and academic functions in higher education), the ambiguity in establishing criteria for measuring the quality in higher education and a high level of academic freedom of the staff and students, etc. do not allow mechanical transfer of the management technology from industry to the education sector. Formalization of the performance indicators of the teacher and the progress of the student, which are framed in the rules contained in the local university standards, may lead to the emasculation of the true content and quality of education. The work of teachers within the context of the QMS requirements is often reduced to formal preparation of the necessary documentation, confirming the realization of the corresponding parameters. Usually, both internal and external audits are limited by the inspection of documents, of the correctness of reports, graphs and diagrams rather than being related to the analysis of the real educational process. The uncritical borrowing of different technologies from foreign experience or from the spheres far from education and training, cannot give a positive effect. The authors justify the position that QMS should be subsidiary to the educational process and the content of educational activity.