QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN PROGRAMS AND COURSES OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION IN UNIVERSITIES USING BENCHMARKING

Abstract

The aim of this comparative research is to find out effective ways of improving quality management of educational programs, courses in a Russian university using foreign experience. The objectives of the research are: 1) to consider conceptual approaches to quality management in higher education; 2) to examine benchmarking as a methodology approach to quality management in higher education; 3) to identify ways of applying Australian universities practice of using benchmarking in quality management of programs and courses for Russian universities. The author considers quality management of educational programs as a triunity of system, process and mechanism. Developing and realization of a program/course is the object of quality management at the level of the department. The full functions cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) is realized at the subsystem of quality management of programs/courses. Performance evaluation of programs/courses as a form of control of professional education quality is the mechanism of quality management of programs/courses. As a methodology approach, benchmarking is a logical scheme of actions, aimed at evaluating, searching and applying the best experience, leading to excellence and competitiveness of the educational organization. Problem-oriented benchmarking is used as a comparative method of the research. Markers of evaluating that are used at the levels of developing educational programs and courses in Australian universities are given and analyzed. The result of the comparative research is the guide to quality management of educational programs for universities in Russia.