Bureaucracy and control. The case of quality assurance

Abstract

Quality assurance in higher education is a prerequisite for consolidating the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Much has been written about the contribution of quality assurance processes to the upgrading of higher education institutions in EHEA countries. At the same time, many researchers have focused on the challenges it poses to the content and mission of higher education. However, one area that has not been sufficiently studied is the impact of quality assurance processes on the workload of those directly involved in higher education institutions. Although there is research, mainly in Anglo-Saxon countries, on the intensification of the work of the academic staff, the question of intensifying the work of administrative staff is a matter that needs further study. In this context, this paper seeks to investigate the impact of quality assurance procedures on the workload of administrators of higher education institutions in Greece. The existing literature shows that quality assurance procedures in higher education intensify bureaucratization and increase the workload of those directly involved in higher education institutions. However, the case of Greece is particularly interesting, if we consider the pressures of the economic crisis and the austerity policies implemented in recent years that limit the number of administrative staff.