Key words: quality management, continuous educational improvement, quality culture, higher education, educational leadership, organisational learning

"Navigating from Quality Management to Quality Culture"

The ‘quality culture’ notion embraces the idea that educational quality management should be in line with staff values, so that these reciprocally reinforce each other. Despite its positive connotation, a sound conceptualization of the quality culture construct is missing. Two overarching research questions underpin our studies: 1) What are the most important features of a quality culture and how do these features interrelate? 2) How to promote a culture of continuous educational quality improvement? The results of this research lead to the conclusion that a closer fit is required between innovation strategies, staff development, and supportive networks. Moreover, a larger emphasis on human interrelations is needed. The furthering of HRM, especially in areas of competency development and educational career building, will contribute to the sustainability of HEIs’ improvement capacity. Communities of practice could help to catalyze individual and collective learning, peer support and institutions’ innovation potential.  To sail from the status quo to an enhanced quality culture, institutions should pay attention to the following three main areas: the connection between quality structures and values, the relation between quality, culture and change, and educational leadership development.

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