Obstacles to the functioning of third-party agencies as higher education quality assurance bodies in Yunnan, China
Hu, Xiaoling (Universiti Sains Malaysia)
Rodríguez Gómez, David (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Pedagogia Aplicada)
Castro Ceacero, Diego (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Pedagogia Aplicada)

Data:	2025
Resum:	Purpose: This study aims to explore the challenges faced by third-party agencies as quality assurance (QA) bodies for higher education in Yunnan Province, China. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative case study included 10 respondents - six experts from a higher education evaluation center and four directors from two private undergraduate colleges (PUCs). Semi-structured and in-depth interviews were conducted with ethical considerations, from topic selection to references. The data were analyzed using thematic and inductive methods. Findings: Third-party agencies primarily function as administrative tools affiliated with the government and face deficits in trust and autonomy. They lack formal legislation, legal status, authority and independence and face shortages of experts, expertise, accountability mechanisms and market-oriented service structures. Research limitations/implications: This study may not be generalizable to the country's landscape and other higher education institutions. Future research should explore these issues using quantitative or mixed methods in different provinces and institutions. Practical implications: Insights from experts in evaluation centers and PUC management provide empirical evidence for policymakers on QA reform, advance knowledge on QA governance and extend resource dependence theory. Under a centralized system, China's context mirrors provincial challenges, offering a foundation for addressing similar issues. Originality/value: The study fills the gap in current research by providing empirical knowledge on the obstacles faced by third-party agencies as QA bodies. This could lead to policymaking or legislation formulation to empower these agencies as legal and independent evaluation bodies, promoting the development of higher education and economic prosperity.
Nota:	Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UAB
Drets:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Llengua:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Matèria:	Third-party agency ; Quality assurance ; Evaluation ; Private undergraduate colleges
Publicat a:	Quality Assurance in Education, 2025 , ISSN 0968-4883

DOI: 10.1108/QAE-10-2024-0206

15 p, 175.7 KB

El registre apareix a les col·leccions:
Articles > Articles de recerca
Articles > Articles publicats