ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the historical background to the study. It introduces the Zimbabwean context in which the empirical research was conducted and provides a justification for the selection of the country as well as the research gap that exists in the subject area. The chapter examines the evolution of quality conceptions from the time HE was established to date. A brief discussion of the research methodology is also given, highlighting the appropriateness of the empirical research approach and the challenges faced in data collection, especially as they relate to Zimbabwean HE. It also provides a brief discussion of my positionality as a researcher and what informed such a study.
