Chilean universities and institutional quality assurance processes
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to conduct a quantitative analysis of the university accreditation processes in Chilean universities. The aim is to determine the effects of the different variables, especially the type of institutions (state- and privately owned, with and without state financial support) on the results obtained.
Design/methodology/approach
Univariate and multivariate statistical analysis of official data.
Findings
Results indicate consistency in the accreditation processes in Chilean universities, as those variables directly associated with the processes accounted for approximately 70 per cent of the variation in the length of accreditation periods (between 0 and seven years), these variables being the ones that defined the type of universities. High dispersion was found in six state-owned universities that behaved as if they were private universities and in two private universities that behaved as if they were state universities. However, a high percentage of the universities included in the analysis maintained their affiliation to their corresponding legal group, when their performance in accreditation processes was analyzed.
Originality/value
The results of the university accreditation processes in Chile have been the focus of a intense debate due to the legal and economic conflicts between the different types of universities. This study constitutes the first scientific analysis of the results of these processes, especially in terms of the performance of the different types of universities, thus enabling a better interpretation of the results. This information is useful not only in the terms of the legal reforms that are being carried out in Chile, but they also help the understanding of the processes of accreditation of higher education in other Latin American countries.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the Center of Advanced Studies, the Higher Education Research Group and the Doctorate Program in Educational Management and Policies of the University of Playa Ancha, Valparaíso Chile. The collaboration of Jorge Ramirez, Cecilia Arriagada and Margarita Rivas is also recognized. Finally, the authors thank the two anonymous referees, whose comments contributed to improving the manuscript.
Citation
López, D.A., Rojas, M.J., López, B.A. and López, D.C. (2015), "Chilean universities and institutional quality assurance processes", Quality Assurance in Education, Vol. 23 No. 2, pp. 166-183. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-05-2013-0024
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited