Quality controls

Anyone with experience of managing an intellectual service organisation operating in a market knows you can have ISOs and BS5750s by the bucketful, but without the right people, systems can simply lead to consistent mediocrity.

Peter Williams of the Quality Assurance Agency asks: "If an institution is dependent on individuals and those people go - then what happens?" If those individuals are not replaced by equally talented people, the answer is obvious.

As higher education operates in an emerging market situation, quality will increasingly be that which is determined by employers, students and other consumers. The truth is that thankfully individuals do make the difference.

Clearly in a situation where public funds are being expended it is reasonable to expect corporate management to take responsibility for the quality of its service. After all, the Higher Education Funding Council for England funds institutions, not departments or faculties.

The sooner we admit that while quality assurance has a place, it does not guarantee high quality in a service environment, the better.

David Roberts Chief executive, Heist