The International Association for Quality Assurance in Pre-tertiary and Higher Education (QAHE) has recently expanded its QAHE Insight collection with three new articles from international academic experts. These contributions explore the human and spiritual dimensions of higher education, ranging from the effectiveness of institutional audits to the importance of meaningful student-teacher encounters.
Dr. Carmen Vásquez, a Peer Evaluator for the National Accreditation Council and former Director of Quality Assurance at the Universidad de Venezuela, addresses the limitations of standard oversight in "The Visit That Changed Nothing: Why Accreditation Must Evaluate What Really Matters in Universities." Drawing from her extensive experience, she argues for a shift in accreditation focus toward the true heart of the university experience rather than mere administrative compliance.
The collection also features a reflection on the social value of classroom interactions by Mg. José Uyehara, University Lecturer and Student Wellbeing Coordinator at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos in Perú. In "The Class That Didn’t Want to End: Why the University Needs to Recover Time for Encounter," he discusses the post-pandemic need to restore genuine human connection in academic settings, highlighting how spontaneous dialogue contributes to overall student wellbeing.
Finally, Juan Aguilar Jimenez, Vice-Rector for Pastoral Care at the American Pontifical Catholic University, examines the intersection of faith and education in "The Seminarian Who Doubted: Why Catholic Universities Must Teach Encounter Before Doctrine." The piece suggests that religious institutions can foster deeper spiritual growth by prioritizing authentic personal engagement and shared experience over the rigid delivery of doctrine.
