Global Values in Higher Education 347Interestingly, none of the identified global instruments and policy
submissions speaks to the ethical dimension of quality. However, the
Council For Higher Education Accreditation International Quality Group
(CHEA/CIQG 2015) reflects explicitly on a ‘shared understanding about
the dimensions of quality’ and even proposes a set of guiding princi-
ples^289 that are ‘intended to serve as a framework for international delib-
eration about quality in higher education. The principles categorise
common ground and establish a foundation for understanding quality’.
Specific areas of emphasis^290 include amongst others (i) the recognition
that the education provided must always be of the highest quality and
(ii) the clarity of purpose that higher education providers and staff have
the primary responsibility to achieve quality. At the same time, (iii) gov-
ernments have a central role in encouraging and supporting quality
higher education and ultimately, (iv) the quality of higher education will
always be evaluated on its ability to meet the needs of society and gen-
erate public confidence and trust. In this last-mentioned consideration
there is an emerging motivation for the imperative of quality to be har-
nessed to realise the broader global purpose of higher education ‘for the
public good’ coupled with the particular acknowledgement that ‘quality
higher education needs to be flexible, creative and innovative; develop-
ing and evolving to meet students’ needs, to justify the confidence of
society and to maintain diversity.’^291 It is suggested that as universities
289
These principles are consistent with existing international standards and
guidelines such as the 2005 UNESCO-OECD Guidelines for Quality Provision
in Cross-Border Higher Education (http://www.unesco.org/education/ guide-
lines_E.indd.pdf); the 2007 INQAAHE Guidelines of Good Practice for Quality
Assurance (http://www.inqaahe.org/main/professionaldevelopment/ guidelines-
of-good-practice-51); the 2008 Chiba Principles: Higher Education Quality As-
surance for the Asia Pacific Region developed by APQN
(https://internationaleducation.gov.au/About-
AEI/Policy/Documents/Brisbane%20Communique/Quality_Assurance_Principl
es_pdf.pdf); 2015 Revised European Standards and Guidelines for Quality As-
surance (http://www.ehea.info/news 290 -details.aspx?ArticleId=393).
291 CHEA 2015: 1^
CHEA 2015:1