The document discusses the relationship between stakeholder trust and university governance amid rapid transformations in higher education. It argues that developing a quality culture through transparency, accountability, and stakeholder involvement can help build trust. Specifically, universities need to clarify objectives and decision-making processes, engage in self-evaluation and continuous improvement, and define standards and criteria to assess their values.

1. Quality policy and trust:
keys towards a new governance of universities
R. FOUQUET
Saint Etienne University, member of Lyon University,
Hubert Curien Laboratory
Research and Higher Education Evaluation Agency (AERES)
B. CURVALE
International Pedagogical Studies Centre (CIEP)
C. JAMEUX
Economics and Management Research Institute (IREGE),
University of Savoy
Research and Higher Education Evaluation Agency (AERES)
IMHE General Conference 2012
Attaining and Sustaining Mass Higher Education
OECD Headquarters, Paris
1 17-19 September 2012
Journée conférences IFCS CHRU BREST / R. FOUQUET Délégué scientifique AERES - Jeudi 3 novembre 2011

2. Aims of this paper:
1- To show the relation between the stakeholders’ trust in higher
education and the governance of universities in a context of fast
transformations
2- To show how the quality culture can contribute to developing trust
2 Quality policy and trust: keys to the new governance of universities - R. FOUQUET, B. CURVALE, C. JAMEAUX - IMHE General Conference – Paris 2012

3. The situation of French universities:
The development of autonomy and responsibility/accountability:
- new responsibilities in the fields of research and higher
education
- new organisation of governing boards
- new external evaluation processes
An impact on the governance and organisation of universities :
- fast changes of the administration and an increasing
complexity of the internal organisation
- new projects of partnerships with other institutions and some
processes of institutions merger
- a need for more strategic governance
Risks of a split between internal stakeholders and management teams
- difficulties for the staff and students to understand and to
accept these changes
- difficulties to generate collective dynamics for the changes
3 Quality policy and trust: keys to the new governance of universities - R. FOUQUET, B. CURVALE, C. JAMEAUX - IMHE General Conference – Paris 2012

4. Developing trust : a key issue of the governance of
universities
Evolution of the methods of management
- a management focused on objectives and results
- an authority system concentrated on the president and the
governing board
A specific culture of the universities
- a culture based on the academic recognition of professors
- a difficulty to accept a hierarchical authority system
Trust: the fundamental component for a recognized leadership
- authority versus authoritarianism
- the development of a management based on shared values,
internal stakeholders involvement and clarification of
procedures and decision making processes
4 Quality policy and trust: keys to the new governance of universities - R. FOUQUET, B. CURVALE, C. JAMEAUX - IMHE General Conference – Paris 2012

5. Quality culture: what is the situation of French universities?
Different levels of achievement
- a control culture but not yet a real quality culture
- quality often seen as a source of constraints and only as a
control process
- quality policies often limited to administration activities (not
applied at governance level)
- difficulties to define the evaluation objectives and methods
- management teams not very involved in quality development
5 Quality policy and trust: keys to the new governance of universities - R. FOUQUET, B. CURVALE, C. JAMEAUX - IMHE General Conference – Paris 2012

6. An institutional quality policy should be based on :
A global requirement for transparency, responsibility and accountability
A clarified dialogue process between the governing bodies, the staff and
the students
The definition of the methods and tools likely to contribute to a better
organisation and management
Clearly defined and implemented decision-making processes
Self evaluation capacity and remediation processes
6 Quality policy and trust: keys to the new governance of universities - R. FOUQUET, B. CURVALE, C. JAMEAUX - IMHE General Conference – Paris 2012

7. The mastery of the continuous improvement cycle : triggerring
factor of a collective dynamics
A global approach to help define with
more precision the working conditions of
each actor: Formulation
- The fundamental role of the
evaluation and remediation steps
- The necessity to clarify the evaluation
methods
Remediation Implementation
- A remediation step including the
adaptation of activities or objectives
- The necessity to apply this cycle to Evaluation
the governance process
7 Quality policy and trust: keys to the new governance of universities - R. FOUQUET, B. CURVALE, C. JAMEAUX - IMHE General Conference – Paris 2012

8. Decision-making processes should be clearly linked with
evaluation outcomes
The acceptance of the decisions made depends directly of the evaluation methods
which imply :
- to clarify the objectives and criteria of evaluation
- to define the evaluation perimeter
- to define the practical conditions of the
evaluation process
A sound quality framework for a given institution implies :
- standards that will mirror the values of the institution
- pertinent criteria used to assess the achievement of these values
- permanent dialogue and mediation within the institution
- a permanent search for a common vision of the institution
- the capacity for the institution to identify and recognise the
involvement and contribution of all actors
8 Quality policy and trust: keys to the new governance of universities - R. FOUQUET, B. CURVALE, C. JAMEAUX - IMHE General Conference – Paris 2012

9. The governance–trust–quality trio
- Fast transformations
- Growing complexity
- Carrying out change process
Governance - Strong strategy needs
- New culture of results
-Transparency
Trust Quality policy - Responsibility
- Accountability
- Common values
- Actors’ involvement - Clear evaluation criteria and methods
- Collective task force - Continuous improvement processes
- Authority system acceptation
- Quality of life
9 Quality policy and trust: keys to the new governance of universities - R. FOUQUET, B. CURVALE, C. JAMEAUX - IMHE General Conference – Paris 2012

10. Conclusion
Quality policies can contribute to a better governance of HE institutions.
They provide :
- Tools for the improvement of performance and to help meet
the stakeholders’ expectations
- Evidences of the capacities of the institution to accept its
autonomy and bear its new responsibilities
- Tools to guaranty the stability and the coherence of the
system of governance notwithstanding the changes in the
management teams
- Landmarks for all actors activities through the quality
framework and the quality processes
10 Quality policy and trust: keys to the new governance of universities - R. FOUQUET, B. CURVALE, C. JAMEAUX - IMHE General Conference – Paris 2012