Arseam

International Journal of Education & Applied Sciences Research

THE IMPERATIVE OF CONTINUOUS REVIEW: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF ACADEMIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE AUDIT (AAA) AS A TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE QUALITY ASSURANCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Dr. Elizabeth Kanade

Dr. Elizabeth Kanade, Assistant Professor, St. Mira’s College for Girls, Pune, India , ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5335-8917

DOI : https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17892706 Page No : 35-41

Published Online : 2025-12-11

Download Full Article : PDF Check for Updates

ABSTRACT

The rapid globalization and democratization of higher education (HE) have shifted its mandate from an elite system to a mass public utility, resulting in intense institutional competition and an increased focus on accountability. This paper systematically reviews the literature concerning Quality Assurance (QA) mechanisms in HE, with a specific focus on the conceptual and empirical role of the Academic and Administrative Audit (AAA). While national accreditation bodies (like NAAC in India) provide a crucial quality benchmark, their long audit cycles (5–7 years) create a critical temporal gap in ensuring continuous quality improvement. Drawing on various definitions of quality, from input-based to outcome-based approaches, this review argues that AAAdefined as a systematic and scientific process of monitoring and reviewing academic and administrative systemsis essential for transforming QA from a periodic compliance exercise into a culture of continuous institutional performance. The review synthesizes findings on the factors affecting successful AAA implementation, identifies the common barriers, and concludes that a continuous, yearly external AAA model is the necessary evolution for HEIs to maintain relevance, transparency, and sustained excellence in the dynamic modern educational landscape.

Keywords: Academic and Administrative Audit (AAA), Quality Assurance (QA), Higher Education, Continuous Improvement, Institutional Performance, Literature Review, NAAC.

References

A .N Sarkar, (), Impact of higher Education on Skill Development on Employment generation and Economic Development: Focus on India, The Master builder.
Agarwal, J.C.(1998), Teacher’s Role, Status, Service Conditions and Education in India. Doaba House, Delhi.
Akiri, A. A. (2013), Effects of Teachers’ Effectiveness on Students’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools; Delta State- Nigeria, Journal of Educational and Social Research, 3(3),105-112.
Alemu, S. K. (2018). The meaning, idea and history of university/higher education in Africa: A brief literature review. Fire: Forum for International Research in Education, 4(3), 210-227. Retrieved on January 30, 2024, fromhttps://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1199154.pdf
Almanasreh, E., Moles, R., & Chen, T. F. (2019). Evaluation of methods used for estimating content validity. Research in social and administrative pharmacy, 15(2), 214-221.
Barrie, S., C. Hughes, G. Crisp and A. Bennison (2012), Assessing and assuring Australian graduate learning outcomes: Principles and practices within and across disciplines: Final report, Office for Learning and Teaching, Sydney, www.itl.usyd.edu.au/projects/aaglo/.
Beck, R. (2009). The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education and the Academic Infrastructure. Quality in Higher Education, 15(1), 1-17.
Bertolin, J. C. G. (2015). Quality in Higher Education: From the Diversity of Conceptions to the Relentless Conceptual Subjectivity. Creative Education, 6, 2410-2421. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ce.2015.622247
Cave, M., S. Hanney, M. Henkel and M. Kogan (1997), The Use of Performance Indicators in Higher Education: the Challenges of the Quality Movement (3rd ed.), Jessica Kingsley, London.
Cave, M., S. Hanney, M. Kogan and G. Trevett (1988), The Use of Performance Indicators in Higher Education: A Critical Analysis of Developing Practice, Jessica Kingsley, London.
Chatterjee, S.K.(2008), Teacher Education: Its Revitalization and Quality Control. Anweshika –Indian Journal of Teacher Education. Volume-5, No.2 (NCERT).
Cheng, Y. C. (1995). Monitoring Education Quality in Schools: Framework and Technology.
D Pradhan,(2018) Skill Development: A Challenge For A Billion plus nation, The Management Accountant, Vol, 53, ISSn-0972-3538, pp-22-29.
Dill David, Is there an academic audit in your future? , Taylor & Francis (Jul/Aug-2000, Vol. No-32), Page No: 35 to 41.
Dill David, Massy William et al., Accreditation & Academic Quality Assurance,
Doyle, J. T., Ge, W., & McVay, S. (2007). Accruals quality and internal control over financial reporting. The accounting review, 82(5), 1141-1170. Retrieved on February 01,2024,https://scholar.google.co.in/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&as_vis=1&q=Doyle+et+al++2007+research+paper&btnG=
Dr.R.K.Doharey, & Verma, Aman & Verma, Kapil & Yadav, Vishal. (2023). Education : Meaning, definition & Types. Retrieved on January 2024,frohttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/372418302_Education_Meaning_definition_Types/download
Ferguson, T., & Roofe, C. G. (2020). SDG 4 in higher education: Challenges and opportunities. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 21(5), 959-975.
Flesher, D. L., Previts, G. J., & Samson, W. D. (2005). Auditing in the United States: A historical perspective. Abacus, 41(1), 21-39. Retrieved on November 01, 2024, from
Goel, P. Vijay (2008), “Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system in India for sustainable Development”. Retrieved on January 17, 2024, from https://unevoc.unesco.org/up/India_Country_Paper.pdf.
Goff, L., M. K. Potter, E. Pierre, T. Carey, A. Gullage, E. Kustra, . . . G. V. Gastel (2015), Learning Outcomes Assessment: A Practitioner's Handbook, Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, Toronto.
Goswami, D.(2007), Student Teachers’ Perception of Quality Teacher Education. Anweshika Indian Journal of Teacher Education, Vol 4.
Green, D. (1994). What Is Quality in Higher Education? Bristol: SRHE and Open University Press.
Grix, J. (2002). Introducing Students to the Generic Terminology of Social Research. Politics, 22(3), 175.
Harvey, L., & Green, D. (1993). Defining Quality. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 18(1), 9-34.
Harvey, L., & Newton, J. (2004). Transforming quality evaluation. Quality in Higher Education, 10(2), 149-165.
Harvey, L., & Williams, J. (2010). Fifteen years of quality in higher education (Part Two). Quality in Higher Education, 16(2), 81-113.
Hazelkorn, E. (2015), Rankings and the Reshaping of Higher Education: The Battle for World-Class Excellence (2nd ed.), Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke

IJCRT2212054 International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT) www.ijcrt.org a427

Institutional Accreditation Manual for Self-appraisal of Teacher Education Institutions. Joshi, S.(2007). Teacher Education in Retrospect. Indian Journal of Teacher Education, Vol 4.
James, S. (2012). Exploring the philosophical underpinnings of research: Relating ontology and epistemology to the methodology and methods of the scientific, interpretive, and critical research paradigms. English Language Teaching, 5(9), 9–16. Retrieved on January 15, 2024, from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1080001.pdf.
Kivunja, C. &Kuyini, A. B. (2017). Understanding and Applying Research Paradigms in Educational Contexts. International Journal of Higher Education, 6(5), 26–41. Retrieved on January 15, 2024, from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1154775.pdf.
Kufi, E. F. (2022). Quality audit in Education. The Journal of Quality in Education, 12(20), 69-82.
Kumawat, A., & Vardia, S. (2023). Unveiling Student Perceptions: Exploring the Advantages of Academic Audits in Selected Universities of Rajasthan. Pacific Business Review International, 16(5).
Lomas, L. (2004). Embedding quality: The challenges for higher education. Quality Assurance in Education, 12(4), 157-165
Marginson, S. (2011). Higher Education and Public Good. Higher Education Quarterly, 65(4), 411-433.
Mari Elken&BjørnStensaker (2018): Conceptualising ‘quality work’ in higher education, Quality in Higher Education
Massy, W. F. (2003), Honoring the Trust: Quality and Cost Containment in Higher Education, Anker Publishing, Bolton.
Merriam, S. B., & Simpson, E. L. (1995). A guide to research for educators and trainers of adults. Krieger Publishing Co., PO Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542.
Meyer, J. W., & Rowan, B. (1977). Institutionalized organizations: Formal structure as myth and ceremony. American Journal of Sociology, 83(2), 340-363.
Middlehurst, R. (1997). Quality enhancement in British higher education. Higher Education Management, 9(1), 53-68.
Neave, G. (1988), "On the cultivation of quality, efficiency and enterprise: an overview of recent trends in higher education in Western Europe, 1986-1988", European Journal of Education, Vol. 23/1/2, pp. 7-23.
Newton, J. (2000). Feeding the beast or improving quality? Quality in Higher Education, 6(2), 153-163.
Newton, J. (2000). Feeding the beast or improving quality?: Academics’ perceptions of quality assurance and quality monitoring. Quality in Higher Education, 6(2), 153-163.
OECD (2012), Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes AHELO: Feasibility Study Report: Volume 1 Design and Implementation, OECD, Paris.
Rauhvargers, A. (2013), Global university rankings and their impact: Report II, European University Association, Brussels. Sarrico, C. S. (2010), "On performance in higher education: towards performance governance?"Tertiary Education and Management, Vol. 16/2, pp. 145-158.
Rocco, T. S., &Plakhotnik, M. S. (2009). Literature reviews, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical frameworks: Terms, functions, and distinctions. Human resource developmentreview, 8(1), 120-130. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=a27705046df98a1f824c11efe9c88c008da5050c
Rohidas Nitonde and B. U. Jadhav, Academic and Administrative Audit: A Parameter of QualityEducation, The South Asian Academic Research Chronicle, Vol 2, Issue 9; August 2015, Special issue (Proceedings of National Conference)www.ijcrt.org © 2022 IJCRT | Volume 10, Issue 12 December 2022 | ISSN: 2320-2882

Cite this Article as: Kanade E (2025), “The Imperative of Continuous Review: A Systematic Review of Academic and Administrative Audit (AAA) as a Tool for Sustainable Quality Assurance in Higher Education”, International Journal of Education & Applied Sciences Research, Volume 12, Issue 2, 2025, pp 35-41 DOI : https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17892706

Article View: 95
PDF Download: 7

References

A .N Sarkar, (), Impact of higher Education on Skill Development on Employment generation and Economic Development: Focus on India, The Master builder.
Agarwal, J.C.(1998), Teacher’s Role, Status, Service Conditions and Education in India. Doaba House, Delhi.
Akiri, A. A. (2013), Effects of Teachers’ Effectiveness on Students’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools; Delta State- Nigeria, Journal of Educational and Social Research, 3(3),105-112.
Alemu, S. K. (2018). The meaning, idea and history of university/higher education in Africa: A brief literature review. Fire: Forum for International Research in Education, 4(3), 210-227. Retrieved on January 30, 2024, fromhttps://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1199154.pdf
Almanasreh, E., Moles, R., & Chen, T. F. (2019). Evaluation of methods used for estimating content validity. Research in social and administrative pharmacy, 15(2), 214-221.
Barrie, S., C. Hughes, G. Crisp and A. Bennison (2012), Assessing and assuring Australian graduate learning outcomes: Principles and practices within and across disciplines: Final report, Office for Learning and Teaching, Sydney, www.itl.usyd.edu.au/projects/aaglo/.
Beck, R. (2009). The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education and the Academic Infrastructure. Quality in Higher Education, 15(1), 1-17.
Bertolin, J. C. G. (2015). Quality in Higher Education: From the Diversity of Conceptions to the Relentless Conceptual Subjectivity. Creative Education, 6, 2410-2421. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ce.2015.622247
Cave, M., S. Hanney, M. Henkel and M. Kogan (1997), The Use of Performance Indicators in Higher Education: the Challenges of the Quality Movement (3rd ed.), Jessica Kingsley, London.
Cave, M., S. Hanney, M. Kogan and G. Trevett (1988), The Use of Performance Indicators in Higher Education: A Critical Analysis of Developing Practice, Jessica Kingsley, London.
Chatterjee, S.K.(2008), Teacher Education: Its Revitalization and Quality Control. Anweshika –Indian Journal of Teacher Education. Volume-5, No.2 (NCERT).
Cheng, Y. C. (1995). Monitoring Education Quality in Schools: Framework and Technology.
D Pradhan,(2018) Skill Development: A Challenge For A Billion plus nation, The Management Accountant, Vol, 53, ISSn-0972-3538, pp-22-29.
Dill David, Is there an academic audit in your future? , Taylor & Francis (Jul/Aug-2000, Vol. No-32), Page No: 35 to 41.
Dill David, Massy William et al., Accreditation & Academic Quality Assurance,
Doyle, J. T., Ge, W., & McVay, S. (2007). Accruals quality and internal control over financial reporting. The accounting review, 82(5), 1141-1170. Retrieved on February 01,2024,https://scholar.google.co.in/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&as_vis=1&q=Doyle+et+al++2007+research+paper&btnG=
Dr.R.K.Doharey, & Verma, Aman & Verma, Kapil & Yadav, Vishal. (2023). Education : Meaning, definition & Types. Retrieved on January 2024,frohttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/372418302_Education_Meaning_definition_Types/download
Ferguson, T., & Roofe, C. G. (2020). SDG 4 in higher education: Challenges and opportunities. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 21(5), 959-975.
Flesher, D. L., Previts, G. J., & Samson, W. D. (2005). Auditing in the United States: A historical perspective. Abacus, 41(1), 21-39. Retrieved on November 01, 2024, from
Goel, P. Vijay (2008), “Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system in India for sustainable Development”. Retrieved on January 17, 2024, from https://unevoc.unesco.org/up/India_Country_Paper.pdf.
Goff, L., M. K. Potter, E. Pierre, T. Carey, A. Gullage, E. Kustra, . . . G. V. Gastel (2015), Learning Outcomes Assessment: A Practitioner's Handbook, Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, Toronto.
Goswami, D.(2007), Student Teachers’ Perception of Quality Teacher Education. Anweshika Indian Journal of Teacher Education, Vol 4.
Green, D. (1994). What Is Quality in Higher Education? Bristol: SRHE and Open University Press.
Grix, J. (2002). Introducing Students to the Generic Terminology of Social Research. Politics, 22(3), 175.
Harvey, L., & Green, D. (1993). Defining Quality. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 18(1), 9-34.
Harvey, L., & Newton, J. (2004). Transforming quality evaluation. Quality in Higher Education, 10(2), 149-165.
Harvey, L., & Williams, J. (2010). Fifteen years of quality in higher education (Part Two). Quality in Higher Education, 16(2), 81-113.
Hazelkorn, E. (2015), Rankings and the Reshaping of Higher Education: The Battle for World-Class Excellence (2nd ed.), Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke

IJCRT2212054 International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT) www.ijcrt.org a427

Institutional Accreditation Manual for Self-appraisal of Teacher Education Institutions. Joshi, S.(2007). Teacher Education in Retrospect. Indian Journal of Teacher Education, Vol 4.
James, S. (2012). Exploring the philosophical underpinnings of research: Relating ontology and epistemology to the methodology and methods of the scientific, interpretive, and critical research paradigms. English Language Teaching, 5(9), 9–16. Retrieved on January 15, 2024, from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1080001.pdf.
Kivunja, C. &Kuyini, A. B. (2017). Understanding and Applying Research Paradigms in Educational Contexts. International Journal of Higher Education, 6(5), 26–41. Retrieved on January 15, 2024, from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1154775.pdf.
Kufi, E. F. (2022). Quality audit in Education. The Journal of Quality in Education, 12(20), 69-82.
Kumawat, A., & Vardia, S. (2023). Unveiling Student Perceptions: Exploring the Advantages of Academic Audits in Selected Universities of Rajasthan. Pacific Business Review International, 16(5).
Lomas, L. (2004). Embedding quality: The challenges for higher education. Quality Assurance in Education, 12(4), 157-165
Marginson, S. (2011). Higher Education and Public Good. Higher Education Quarterly, 65(4), 411-433.
Mari Elken&BjørnStensaker (2018): Conceptualising ‘quality work’ in higher education, Quality in Higher Education
Massy, W. F. (2003), Honoring the Trust: Quality and Cost Containment in Higher Education, Anker Publishing, Bolton.
Merriam, S. B., & Simpson, E. L. (1995). A guide to research for educators and trainers of adults. Krieger Publishing Co., PO Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542.
Meyer, J. W., & Rowan, B. (1977). Institutionalized organizations: Formal structure as myth and ceremony. American Journal of Sociology, 83(2), 340-363.
Middlehurst, R. (1997). Quality enhancement in British higher education. Higher Education Management, 9(1), 53-68.
Neave, G. (1988), "On the cultivation of quality, efficiency and enterprise: an overview of recent trends in higher education in Western Europe, 1986-1988", European Journal of Education, Vol. 23/1/2, pp. 7-23.
Newton, J. (2000). Feeding the beast or improving quality? Quality in Higher Education, 6(2), 153-163.
Newton, J. (2000). Feeding the beast or improving quality?: Academics’ perceptions of quality assurance and quality monitoring. Quality in Higher Education, 6(2), 153-163.
OECD (2012), Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes AHELO: Feasibility Study Report: Volume 1 Design and Implementation, OECD, Paris.
Rauhvargers, A. (2013), Global university rankings and their impact: Report II, European University Association, Brussels. Sarrico, C. S. (2010), "On performance in higher education: towards performance governance?"Tertiary Education and Management, Vol. 16/2, pp. 145-158.
Rocco, T. S., &Plakhotnik, M. S. (2009). Literature reviews, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical frameworks: Terms, functions, and distinctions. Human resource developmentreview, 8(1), 120-130. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=a27705046df98a1f824c11efe9c88c008da5050c
Rohidas Nitonde and B. U. Jadhav, Academic and Administrative Audit: A Parameter of QualityEducation, The South Asian Academic Research Chronicle, Vol 2, Issue 9; August 2015, Special issue (Proceedings of National Conference)www.ijcrt.org © 2022 IJCRT | Volume 10, Issue 12 December 2022 | ISSN: 2320-2882