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Student Guidance and Attention to Diversity in the Processes of Quality Assurance in Higher Education |
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| Authors: | Camino Ferreira Javier Vidal María José Vieira |
| Institution: | Camino Ferreira, University of León, Faculty of Education, Department of Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy, Campus de Vegazana, s/n, 24071 León, Spain, camino.ferreira@unileon.es
Javier Vidal, University of León, Faculty of Education, Department of Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy, Campus de Vegazana, s/n, 24071 León, Spain, javier.vidal@unileon.es María José Vieira, University of León, Faculty of Education, Department of Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy, Campus de Vegazana, s/n, 24071 León, Spain, maria.vieira@unileon.es |
| Abstract: | The main objective of this article is to analyse the importance given to student guidance and diversity in the standards and criteria used in the quality accreditation and evaluation processes in Europe and the US. Agencies selected in this study are the members of ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education), EQAR (European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education) and regional and programme accrediting organisations in the US that are recognised by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The data were analysed by means of qualitative and content analysis of the principles, standards and criteria published in the guidelines of the respective agencies. The results of this study reveal that guidance and attention to diversity are included in the quality evaluation guidelines for university study programmes and for higher education institutions in different ways. The main conclusion is that most guidelines include general criteria about guidance and diversity. In order to assist HEIs in the way to plan this support, guidelines should include specific criteria for the provision of academic, career and personal guidance within general student support services. Additionally, criteria should specify the actions to be taken and the resources to respond to diversity. |
| Keywords: | quality assurance agencies student support attention to diversity disability higher education |