INCORPORATING ‘QUALITY-AUDIT’ AT THE UNDERGRADUATE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CURRICULA

Abstract

This article defines the necessity to incorporate ‘quality-audit’ at the undergraduate science/engineering curricula based on the consideration of current declining trend of students’ motivation and engagements in sciences, lack of social, business and technological implications with science, and to perceive science knowledge as useful, interesting, and relevant. A brief literature review is presented with syntheses, critical reflections and analyses on various aspects of quality-audit, their applications, limitations, recent changes on the perceptions and practices of quality-audit, and evaluations of the quality of performed quality-audit. The presented information and syntheses of literature are helpful to devise an effective ‘quality-audit’ unit-course for undergraduate science/engineering curricula where ‘student-centred’ and participative ‘inquiry-based’ learning approaches are suggested. A complete internal ‘quality-audit’ process with exemplary guidelines and instructions is demonstrated. Both theoretical and practical components of ‘quality-audit’ presented in this article complement to each other fulfilling the requirements of this unit-course. The article emphasizes the significance of ‘quality-audit’ study in higher education, suggests a blended approach of learning resources, and discusses teaching, learning, pedagogical and implicated issues related to ‘quality-audit’ for implementation and further improvements of the outlined course. The suggested ‘quality-audit’ unit-course focuses on the fundamental concepts and the functioning process of quality-audit, explains the operations of the quality system, associated critical issues, business consequences, continuous improvements, and enhancement of students’ motivation and engagements to build confidence for easy accommodation in the workforce. It fosters team spirit and helps improve students’ creativity, analytical skills, critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making abilities. Students can learn critical issues of quality, achieve a higher awareness of social implications, find better applications of ‘quality management’ in business, and become well-informed future citizens taking their own responsibilities.

Auditor/Auditee; Curricula; Pedagogy; Quality-Audit; Audit-Quality; Science; Engineering.