Rules and results: regulating for quality in higher education in the 21st century

This paper examines how quality in higher education is understood and regulated in England and in the United States. Its central argument is that both the concept of quality and the mechanisms used to regulate it have become increasingly complex, and often contested. Although governments, regulators, accreditors, institutions and students all invoke the
language of quality, there is little consensus as to what it means. This lack of clarity complicates regulatory policy design and obscures a necessary focus on the extent to which regulatory systems are achieving their objectives. 

The paper draws on academic and policy literature, reviews existing evaluations of quality related regulation, and incorporates evidence from interviews with senior leaders and experts in England and the United States. It concludes that while quality regulation is extensive and often costly, there is surprisingly little evidence about which regulatory approaches are most effective. The paper argues for clearer definitions of quality, greater transparency about regulatory objectives, stronger evaluation of regulatory interventions, and more explicit consideration of the trade-offs between regulatory costs and benefits.