Quality sustainability in engineering educational institutions - a theoretical model

A high quality engineering education is becoming increasingly important in India and around the world. The authors have developed a model, Integrated Educational Quality Management System (IEQMS) in Engineering Institutions. IEQMS is a compound system of quality management practice such as ISO 9001:2008 QMS, ISO 14001:2004 EMS, occupational health and safety management systems (OHSAS 18001:2007), Six‐Sigma (DMAIC), TQM, knowledge management and lean thinking. The aim of this study is to develop and propose the conceptual framework and research model of IEQMS and its implementation for better performance in Indian engineering educational institutions (EEIs). Based on various literature reviews, ten important intervening critical factors are identified under IEQMS and a research model is proposed to examine the extent of its practice in engineering institutions. Further, the authors suggest that, the IEQMS model can be tested and validated by empirical means using structural equation modelling (SEM) technique for hypotheses testing.