Analysis of rationality and effectiveness of quality management systems in high education organizations

Straipsnyje išanalizuoti ir apibendrinti aukštojo mokslo organizacijos kokybes vadybos sistemos kurimo ir tobulinimo etapai, sistemos racionalumo ir veiksmingumo aspektai. Darbe argumentuojamas kokybes vadybos modelio pasirinkimas, aukštojo mokslo organizacijos kokybes politikos, tikslu ir vertybiu formavimas, atskleidžiami sistemos veiksmingumo ir ideju virsmo i rezultata trukdžiai, pristatomi du originalus modeliai. Straipsnis parengtas remiantis literaturos ir organizaciju veiklos praktikos kokybes užtikrinimo srityje analize, vadovu strukturizuotu interviu duomenimis bei autoriu konsultacinio darbo ir darbuotoju mokymo verslo ir viešojo sektoriaus organizacijose patirties apibendrinimu.The purpose of the paper is to analyze and define the stages and effectiveness of improvement of quality management in higher education institution. The paper is based on following research methods: literature review, case-study analysis (organizational research), structurized interviews, observation of processes during management consultancy and training of private and public sector organizations. Quality of life - achievements of personal satisfaction lays far back in the history. Many "books of quality" - like Gospel, Koran, Talmud and other were key sources that formed the model of life's quality and the ways of it's implementation. Then it is logical that universities and schools were formed by groups of people who had certain model and level of belief. During the XX century Universities and other institutions of higher education influenced by economical, social and political transformations created new or changed it's values. Aiming to be competitive among universities and other institutions of education locally and abroad, the first and most important task is to ensure quality of studies and activities in organization as total. The quality of Universities and other institutions of higher education is much more complex, comparing to other types of organizations, first of all of it's "product", and stakeholders: students, their families, university professors and staff, potential and existing employers, foundators, donators, public organizations and the government. Educational organizations shall implement and develop systematic evaluation as a permanent process integrating majority of requirements of stakeholders. The evaluation can be based on generic ISO 9001 and total quality management models. Striving to achieve quality in education the following shall be done: defined and implemented quality policy and targets; prepared quality manual and procedures. Self-assessment shall be implemented as a process improvement tool, starting from the single member of the organization, and continuing to scientific group, department, faculty and institution as a whole. Analysing the obstacles preventing from achieving quality goals, seven general barriers were identified. These barriers prevent from: 1) getting an ideas for improvement; 2) defining an ideas in verbal, technical specification, and any other form; 3) listening and reading; 4) understanding; 5) willingness and motivation to act; 6) completion of tasks and actions; 7) getting the result. The system shall be based on participation of all members of organization, creating value added to them and to society at the same time. It is complex management system containing communication and feed-back links, organized to ensure quality of service and continuous improvement. Improvement means the endless process - each member of the society is orientated to permanent and perpetual process improvement, discoveries of novelties and new quality frontiers. The original models (the cycle of the sciences, technologies, quality and economics; the system of organizational values; the model of barriers preventing ideas to became results are presented in the article