ABSTRACT
Dr Bauer argues that evaluation systems in higher education vary with the political culture and the institutional system in which they junction. Furthermore, variation in evaluation criteria within and between countries makes comparative evaluation problematic, and yet it is increasingly demanded. She draws on OECD studies of performance indicators and evaluation systems, and describes quality assurance approaches in the Swedish higher education system. She concludes that the emphasis should be on development and improvement rather than on accountability and control, and that industrial analogies of quality assurance may not be appropriate for higher education systems.
