THE CONTRIBUTORSDing, XingfuProfessor <strong>and</strong> Doctor, Director of Institute for Distance Education,Capital Normal University, Beijing, China.E-mail: xingfuding@yahoo.com.cn, dxfdxf@mail.cnu.edu.cn.Gu, XiaoqingAssociate Professor <strong>and</strong> Doctor, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.E-mail: guxq@dec.ecnu.edu.cnZhu, ZhitingProfessor <strong>and</strong> Doctor, Educational Information Center, East China Normal University,Shanghai, China.E-mail: ztzhu@dec.ecnu.edu.cn, ztzhu@hotmail.com77
CHAPTER 7QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEYOF MEGA UNIVERSITIESInsung JungCHAPTER SUMMARYMega universities (i.e. those with over 100,000 students) are among the most importantproviders of <strong>distance</strong> <strong>education</strong> worldwide <strong>and</strong> are increasingly using ICT-based <strong>learning</strong>.Until recently they placed more emphasis on widening access than assuring quality, butnow they recognise quality assurance as a key issue that needs to be addressed not onlywithin individual universities but also jointly <strong>and</strong> in the global context. At the same timeQA frameworks are at an early <strong>and</strong> therefore crucial stage of development. This chapterreports on a recent survey to examine <strong>and</strong> compare QA practices in mega universities<strong>and</strong> draws certain important lessons for the mega universities in the future developmentof effective QA policies. Where <strong>lifelong</strong> <strong>learning</strong> is referred to, this is understood asa process that people undertake to acquire knowledge, skills, <strong>and</strong> values needed forpersonal <strong>and</strong> occupational development throughout their lifetimes; often linked to adult<strong>learning</strong>.BACKGROUNDOver the past few decades, there has been a noticeable growth in <strong>distance</strong> <strong>education</strong>(DE) around the world. More than 10 mega universities have been developed to meetthe increasing <strong>education</strong>al needs of adults <strong>and</strong> <strong>lifelong</strong> learners. 1 A mega university isdefined as “a <strong>distance</strong> teaching institution with over 100,000 active students in degreelevelcourses” (Daniel, 1996: 29). Some mega universities such as Anadolu University inTurkey <strong>and</strong> China Central Radio <strong>and</strong> TV University in China have over 500,000 activestudents. Considering the high level of student enrolment, the mega univerisities arebecoming “very important for the future of <strong>higher</strong> <strong>education</strong> (HE) all over the world”(Daniel, 1998), including HE as part of <strong>lifelong</strong> <strong>learning</strong>.In parallel with the development of mega universities, cross-border DE has grown. Forexample, universities in Australia, UK, USA, <strong>and</strong> Canada have actively exported theirDE programmes to other parts of the world. China, Hong Kong (China), India, Malaysia<strong>and</strong> Singapore in the <strong>Asia</strong>-<strong>Pacific</strong> region have been among major importers of those79
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PERSPECTIVES ONDISTANCE EDUCATIONLi
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The Commonwealth of Learning (COL)
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSIn addition to the
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These are some of the issues that a
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What are the trends and issues in l
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of policy implications relating to
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evince important differences that c
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inequitable regulations governing t
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associations and groups of countrie
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THE CONTRIBUTORChristopher McIntosh
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INTRODUCTIONIn his 1996 report to U
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Lastly, our analysis of the situati
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diploma or similar certificates of
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force of the undertaking. Here agai
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RELEVANT INTERNET SITESUNESCO Task
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Notes1. This phrasing has been used
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• Make sure that incoming student
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CHAPTER 11CHARTING THE EVOLUTIONOF
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Another common characteristic was t
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the current capacity of the educati
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conditions for success. Conditions
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Cultural and ethical issues in inte
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the cost and maintenance of learnin
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Research can be a useful tool for c
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REFERENCESBates, A. (1995). Technol
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Twigg, C. (2001). Quality Assurance
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y, for example, entering into partn
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and even greater steps, and the dec