Quality Assurance in Higher Education in the Maldives: Past, Present, and Future

Abstract

Quality assurance in higher education is a hot topic with the
increased number of students graduating from postgraduate programmes
offered by the higher education institutions. This qualitative study aimed to
look at the history and the current status of the quality assurance mechanisms
in the Maldives; identify its strengths and weaknesses; and make informed
recommendations. Critical event narrative inquiry was used and data were
collected through interviews and analysis of documents. Content analysis of
data collected revealed that Maldives was one of the very first countries in
the region to establish such a mechanism and it was very similar to that of
Australia. The most significant finding was that the body mandated to assure
higher education quality and did not have any power or regulatory authority.
Therefore, it is important that the authority be an independent body established
by an act of parliament with the regulatory power.