A Good Practice Guide for Quality Management of Research

Foreword


A project focused on quality issues in research management was started by the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) in 2003. This project was intended to draw attention to the importance of the management of research at higher education institutions as a tool to strengthen quality issues in research and research-related activities in the context of preparations for the conduct of institutional audits by the HEQC.


The project also reflected the importance of quality-related capacity development in the work of the HEQC, especially in a context where historical disadvantage continues to impact on the capacities of academic staff to produce research and to train postgraduate students.


The HEQC set up the project in such a way as to involve all directors of research at public higher education institutions, as well as deans and deputy vice-chancellors. The final version of this Good Practice Guide has benefited from their comments and their participation in several workshops.


Financially, this project has been possible thanks to funding provided by the Netherlands through the CENESA/NUFFIC programme of international collaboration.


It is hoped that the guide will be used by all higher education institutions according to their own needs and circumstances and that its use will have a positive impact on the development and improvement of systems for the management of research quality.


Dr Mala Singh
Executive Director
July 2005


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