Research On The Student Engagement Mechanism In The Quality Evaluation Of British Higher Education

The development of the student-centered concept of higher education and the application of the stakeholder theory in the field of higher education make students' rights and roles more and more important.Students as the "consumers" of higher education and the important stakeholder in the higher education system are getting more attention.The student engagement practice in the quality assessment of higher education in the UK has so far resulted into a relatively comprehensive student participation mechanism.In the assessment of the quality of higher education in China,students have a low degree of participation in the quality assurance activities,and students have weak voices in the quality assessment of universities.Through the inquiry into the mechanism of student engagement in the quality evaluation of higher education in the UK,we hope to provide reference for student engagement in the quality assessment in China.This study uses literature research methods,comparative analysis methods,case studies methods to conduct an in-depth research of the student engagement mechanism in the quality evaluation of higher education in the UK.Firstly,it reviews the development of UK higher education quality assessment,analyzes the background and the motivation for the widespread participation of students currently in UK higher education quality assessment.Then it conducts a profound analysis of the current situation of student engagement mechanisms in the UK higher education quality assessment.Higher education assurance institutions and universities in the UK have provided comprehensive institutional guarantees for student engagement in the quality evaluation of higher education and have provided extensive ways for promoting student engagement.At the external quality assessment level,students can participate in the following ways:(1)participating in national quality management agencies;(2)participating in institutional audits;(3)participating in national student surveys.At the level of internal quality assessment in universities,taking the University of Bath as an example,the ways of student participation are as follows:(1)participating in the quality management institutions of universities;(2)participating in the degree scheme review;(3)participating in the unit evaluation.Students play roles as direct participants in the assessment of higher education quality,partners in academic communities,providers of information,and the most important stakeholders.Based on the above research,the characteristics of the student engagement mechanism in the UK higher education quality assessment are as follows:(1)student-centered assessment concept(2)providing continuous and complete institutional guarantees for student participation(3)providing multiple ways to motivate students to participate in the whole evaluative process(4)exerting the effect of student groups to consummate the higher education quality assessment.Through the collation and analysis of a series of research reports on website of QAA and TSEP,it is found that the student engagement also faces the following challenges: the implementation of student charters need to be promoted;the participation of special student groups is still a big problem;the student representatives are supposed to exert their influence;feedback from students cannot be conveyed effectively;student engagement activities need to be evaluated through eligible methods.Finally,contrasting the current situation and problems of student participation in China and UK,We can learn from the merits of British college students' participation in practice,and find out corresponding countermeasures,which includes the following points:(1)establishing a student-centered assessment concept;(2)improving the institutional guarantee of student participation;(3)opening up a wide range of ways for students to participate;(4)exerting the effect of student groups to consummate the higher education quality assessment.