The Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0 has brought about a significant shift in the way we approach industrial processes. It is all about harnessing the power of big data to make better decisions, leading to higher productivity. This revolution has also given rise to concurrent fields, such as Quality 4.0, Maintenance 4.0, and Pharma 4.0, which are all related to Industry 4.0.
One critical area in need of transformation is the traditional framework of quality assurance in higher education. To address this need, a Quality 4.0 Assurance (Q4A) framework has been developed. A literature review on this topic has been conducted, and the challenges and solutions related to the implementation of Q4A have been discussed.
The Q4A framework for outcome-based education is inspired by the philosophy of Juran and includes eleven axes, such as data, analytics, connectivity, collaboration, app development, scalability, management system, compliance, culture, leadership, and competency. The compliance, competency, leadership, connectivity, and collaboration axes are further explained in detail. This framework is designed to be applicable to higher education institutions and has been successfully implemented at the NED University.
The Q4A framework comprises several components, including strategic objectives, culture and management systems, web apps, data and analytics, and Q4A integration systems. Its primary objective is to improve the quality of education in higher education institutions by setting measurable goals, collecting data, and analyzing KPIs. However, there are challenges that need to be addressed in implementing the framework, such as the culture of stakeholders, skills, infrastructure, and compliance with regulatory bodies.
The article concludes that implementing the Q4A framework can improve the KPIs of higher education institutions, positively affect their culture and management system, and result in a more efficient and effective institution. However, the effectiveness of the framework can only be measured by implementing it in its entirety.
In conclusion, the Q4A framework is a significant development in the field of higher education quality assurance. Its implementation can lead to measurable improvements in the quality of education, and it provides a comprehensive approach that addresses the challenges of modern education systems. The Q4A framework is an essential step in the evolution of higher education institutions towards Industry 4.0.
Authors
Lodi, S., Shaikh, A., Wasif, M., Tufail, M., & Butt, F. (2022, May). A quality 4.0 assurance framework for the higher education institutes. In 8th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'22) (pp. 725-732). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd22.2022.14032