Integrating quality assurance systems in a merged higher education institution
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880510607972 |
| Pages | 241-250 |
| Published date | 01 September 2005 |
| Date | 01 September 2005 |
| Author | Chandru Kistan |
| Subject Matter | Education |
Integrating quality assurance
systems in a merged higher
education institution
Chandru Kistan
University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
Abstract
Purpose – This article seeks to highlight the challenges and issues that face merging higher
education institutions and also to outline some of the challenges in integrating the quality assurance
systems during the pre-, interim and post-merger phases in a merged university.
Design/methodology/approach – Case studies of merged and merging institutions were critiqued
to compare the similarities and differences. A range of issues experienced by two universities that
recently merged in South Africa is explored.
Findings – It is clear that merging institutions is a thorny issue, and cannot be resolved quickly.The
merging of institutions brings with it a whole host of challenges. The current literature review has
found that merging higher education institutions globally is invariably unpredictable, as the
institutions experience multifaceted complexities.
Practical implications – The lessons learned from this newly merged university can be a very
useful resource and guide to those in leadership positions.
Originality/value – This article contributes to the current pool of information and offers practical
guidance and assistance to institutions that have merged or are in the process of merging.
Keywords Quality assurance,Higher education, Universities,Merging
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The challenge of merging of institutions, especially when instituted by an external agency,
can become complex and is invariably unpredictable. This is especially the case when two
higher education institutions with different historically and cultural backgrounds are
forced to merge by a Department of Education. In present-day South Africa, with
simmering political tensions from the apartheid past, the complexity is compounded many
times over. The sanguine Merger Guidelines of the Department of Education and its
wishful stipulations begin to look like fairy tales. The newly merged University of
KwaZulu-Natal, which resulted from two very different universities in January 2004, is the
focus of this paper. The scenario described of the integration of the quality assurance units
is a reflection of what is happening in the academic and administrative departments across
the five campuses of this largest contact university in South Africa.
Historical background
A new democratic government came into power in South Africa in 1994. One of the
changes to accompany this was the transformation of higher education in the country.
On the January 1, 2004, the University of Durban Westville and the University of Natal
merged to form the new University of KwaZulu-Natal. It must be noted that the former
institution was categorized as a historically disadvantaged institution (HDI) and the
latter a historically advantaged university (HAU). Both these universities were created
The Emerald Research Register for this journal is available at The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/researchregister www.emeraldinsight.com/0968-4883.htm
Quality
assurance
systems
241
Quality Assurance in Education
Vol. 13 No. 3, 2005
pp. 241-250
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0968-4883
DOI 10.1108/09684880510607972
To continue reading
Request your trial