Risk, Quality and Process-Based Management Model in Higher Education Institutions

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are the knowledge centers of a society. They aim to ensure that their graduates are well-equipped in terms of professional and research competencies and their personal development. In addition, they have responsibilities to guide and encourage practices that benefit the economy and society. HEIs must think globally, competing internationally with their locally produced knowledge and innovations. Being a pioneer and guide in the use of rapidly developing technology with the best practices is among its responsibilities.
Their success in guiding the society in education (face-to-face, distance learning and hybrid or blended), research and development, social contribution, entrepreneurship, innovation and digital transformation is directly proportional to their ability to establish a well-structured internal quality assurance system, and spread the quality culture to the society.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that they need to have an agile structure against unexpected risks as well as anticipated risks. One of the factors contributing to the agile structure is risk- based thinking.
Process approach in the management is effective in achieving both agility and continuous
improvements quickly, as it allows focusing on every detail regarding the execution of work.
The structure of a HEI is too complex. In addition to the requirement to comply with legal
regulations, each institution creates a management model appropriate to its own structure. Most HEIs endeavor to align their established management systems with the requirements of quality management standards, such as ISO 9001, as well as various excellence models and institutional accreditation criteria. If the institution decides to structure the management system with process approach and adapts risk and quality management to the processes while defining and establishing them, it will operate the continuous improvement system more effectively and efficiently, this will also prepare them to meet the requirements of other external assessments mentioned above. It is a proven fact.
In this book, a risk, quality and process-based management model is presented. The book covers the steps of recognizing and introducing the process framework of the HEI that is composed of the management and support processes and the main core processes such as the education (face-to-face and e-learning), research and development, public services. The steps also involve applying risk and quality management principles to every process. By following this book, the reader will be able to define and introduce all the processes of the higher education institution and establish the management system with the process approach. While readers familiarize themselves with each process, they will be able to create process-oriented risk and quality management according to the recommended steps. A continuous process improvement system by the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle will also be established. Hence, the institution will be ready for all the requirements of the external assessment programs of the higher education institutions, the ISO 9001 Quality Management System Requirements Standard, the excellence models and the institutional accreditation.
The book is designed to be used as a handbook and consists of 15 main chapters and 8
appendices. In addition to the mentioned above, the reader finds the useful information about the processes for internationalism, entrepreneurship, innovation and digital transformation. It also covers some useful information on the teaching and learning centers, e-learning and micro-credentials, the readiness levels for research, development and innovation projects and the business process management software application models. The book presents findings from the project on establishing the infrastructure of a continuous quality assurance system in a HEI.
Finally, it reviews global HEI ranking systems and institutional indicators specific to HEIs in
Turkey.
This book should be read with the book “Process-Based Management Are You Ready for
Digital Transformation? (For Public, Private and Non-Governmental Organizations) by Diler
Aslan”