Problems of Organising and Reporting Internal and External Evaluation in Developing Countries: The Case of Iran

In order to develop capacity to link knowledge to economic growth in developing countries, there is an urgent need to make quality the major element of higher education systems. In Iran, a developing country, such a need was felt a decade ago in the academic community. Based on research projects conducted, a model that combines collegial self-evaluation and external quality assessment was introduced in 1996. Efforts have been made in the past five years toward establishing a quality management and assurance system. This paper first presents an analytical view of problems related to the organising and reporting of internal and external evaluation in Iran. It then elaborates on challenges facing the development of quality management and assurance systems in Iran.