Student Participation in Quality Assurance Processes of HEIs the Omani Context

Abstract

Quality assurance and accreditation are the most pronounced words in the education sector. Quality culture involves all stakeholders in the process. Students who are the major stakeholders play a vital role in the QA process of an institution. The role of students in QA process in Oman context has been covered by conducting interviews from both students and staff members. The current study has been conducted on all the 13 branches of University of Technology and Applied Sciences. An online interview schedule was arranged with five students and two staff members from each branch. The list of students and staff was collected from the quality assurance department of UTAS branches. The results of the study showed that students are actively participating in various programs. The main hindrances to student involvement are low awareness about QA processes, time constraints, and low student representation towards QA processes. The implication of this research is important for HEIs, OAAA, academic researchers, and higher education stakeholders.