From Self-evaluation to Quality Management and Innovation. The case of the School of Business Administration (UCR)

Abstract

The School of Business Administration (EAN) of the University of Costa Rica has been creating a path towards the construction of a culture of excellence; based on quality and innovation. The experience starts from the Self-assessment processes initiated in 2006 (through the Accreditation, obtained in 2016) and advances in the design of a Quality and Innovation Management System, to provide sustainability to continuous improvement.  This article will present the evolution that this School has made in the theme of quality management and innovation as strategic axes of academic action. We will reference the background, actions undertaken, achievements, lessons learned and the prospective vision to make the commitment to excellence sustainable.  The leading role of the Directorate will be highlighted, as well as the teams and key actors, led by the Commission for Quality and Innovation for Academic Improvement (CCIMA). The collaborative work, the assertive communication and the co-responsibility of the good progress of the process implementation, became dynamic elements that, added to the critical reflection and the ethical action, fed the implication of the different groups of interest. The progress achieved shows that this binomial "quality and innovation" directly affects not only the accreditation obtained, but also transcends its commitment to continuous improvement, through good practices that contribute to the consolidation of management systems and sustainability of a culture of Excellence in Higher Education.