Quality of higher education: perceptions of argentinian university students

Abstract

The public university is an educational, social and economic agent of first order in the knowledge society. Universities are the institutions which probably provide greater impact and added value to its territory, whether by formation mode and human capital, scientific research, social and cultural development or innovation and economic progress. Under these assumptions is that universities have become essential pillars where the new model of society is based and, therefore, guarantee the quality of higher education is, or should be, an unavoidable topic on the agenda of all sectors involved in university management. However, there are still difficulties to arrive at a definition of the term "quality" to include the views of all sectors involved in the educational process and to reach consensus on the determinants that produce the greatest influence on quality in the university environment. Given this reality, and closing a series of investigations under the  ECUALE RED1, this article is intended as an empirical contribution to the study of university education quality inquiring about perceptions that prevail between the National University of La Plata students on the definition of quality and the factors that have most impact on it. Among the most important findings have emerged that students associate the concept of quality with the ability of higher education to generate on them a critical spirit, to equip them with skills for independent learning and make them assume a strong social commitment. Regarding its determinants, it has been demonstrated that for students the most relevant issues affecting quality are associated with their own characteristics and conditions over the issues associated with the professors and institutional issues.