RESTRUCTURING HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM BY IMPLEMENTING QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Abstract

Quality of higher education can be defined widely and closely. Widely, quality is compatibility of high education with requirements and demands of users, aims, codes and standards.  Closely, quality signifies compatibility of processes and results of training high-educated experts with requirements, aims, codes and standards of country, employers and entire society. Quality of higher education is a result of large number of ascendancy put upon: demands of Bologna process and international codes, quality management system, and demands of standard in high education institution. Existing educational system in Croatia needed complete reform. High education system requires reorganization, according to the standards of The Bologna declaration. Need for establishing a quality system is proven to be a key factor in success or failure of many products/services, in the industry and therefore in high education institutions. Following world trends in quality assurance and establishing quality systems is an important step that high education institutions has to take in the intention to integrate in University, and University in European Higher Education Area. Implementation of quality management system according to demands of international code ISO 9001:2000, represents a form of strategic restructuring of organization. Project "Organization of quality management system at The University of Zagreb" is based upon a need to establish institutional quality system. This project initiated awareness of need and importance of developing quality and quality management system. Restructuring higher education system by implementing quality management system is important because that system is one of the basic preconditions for a diploma comparison and qualifications in Europe, and that is one of the goals that we want to accomplish.