Impact of Educational Quality Assurance Strategies on University Academic Performance: A Systematic Review in Higher Education
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This systematic review analyzes how educational quality assurance strategies (institutional self-evaluation, external accreditation, and international standards such as ISO 21001) influence academic performance indicators in Latin American universities. The research examined the scientific literature on this topic, highlighting the contributions of academic knowledge, as well as the limitations and gaps that remain unresolved. A set of 185 candidate articles (113 from search queries and 72 from citation chains) was reviewed and analyzed. After applying eligibility criteria to identify the most relevant studies, based on the research question, 181 articles were selected, 50 of which were highly relevant. The favorable influence of processes such as institutional self-evaluation, external accreditation, and the implementation of international standards was documented, with ISO 21001 being particularly noteworthy. The findings demonstrate that these strategies strengthen academic indicators, such as retention, pass rates, and student satisfaction, while acknowledging that their effectiveness varies significantly depending on the institutional context and the methodology applied. The PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle of continuous improvement stands out as a methodological framework for sustained development. The research identified significant challenges, such as resistance to organizational change and the need to adapt these strategies to the specific realities of each institution. In conclusion, quality assurance is a cornerstone for strengthening higher education, and future research should delve deeper into the analysis of its longitudinal impact and its adaptation to different institutional contexts.
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