Alejandro D. Jacobo

Quality-Oriented Management of Higher Education in Argentina

Globalization is a central concern in higher education. Globalization in education implies the recognition that investment in knowledge acquisition and dissemination is not only necessary for keeping high standards of economic and social well-being but also essential in times of economic downturns. Global research competition affects academic output of individual countries, transforming the labor market for science and the professions, and promoting improvements in teaching (Hicks 2007). Globalization in general and in higher education are intricately linked. Within this paradigm, the challenge higher education institutions (HEIs) are facing today is how to timely react to globalization, and how to accommodate themselves to massive demands while still assuring the delivery of quality teaching and research (Perez Lindo 1998, 51). As a consequence, many countries have begun to implement innovative procedures for higher education quality assurance.