(503)THE PORTUGUESE HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE RELEVANCE OF DEMING'S PHILOSOPHY

摘要

The world is changing rapidly and education is a political priority of the foreground. The high-qualityhuman capital is developed in the educational systems of high quality. The wider internationalcommunity believes that an approach that does not focus on higher education can leave companiesdangerously unprepared for survival in tomorrow's world. Malcolm Gillis, President of the RiceUniversity (in AULP, 2000)refers "Today more than ever in human history, wealth or poverty ofnations depends on the quality of higher education."Generally, the process of Total Quality Management (TQM)is implemented in the industry and inservices through the adoption of a set of principles. The implementation of those principles guidesorganizations towards the improvement of quality standards. Deming, Juran and Crosby are some ofthe theorists that presented a group of principles to improve the quality process in an organisation. Inorder to minimize the obstacles of such principles implementation process it is necessary to adaptthem to the culture and philosophy of the institution. Therefore, an education institution should also beable to implement a process of quality improvement either the Total Quality Management process orany other.This scientific study intended to analyse, in a methodical and accessible way, the relevant informationabout Total Quality Management, leaning over essentially on the 14 Deming's principles, and whetherthe technical Total Quality Management technical, developed by this “Guru” of the quality, could beapplied in Portuguese higher education. For this reason, a questionnaire was applied in twoPortuguese Higher Education Institutions: the ISCTE and the University of Evora. In theimplementation of those principles it was taken into consideration the possible obstacles and thepotential benefits as it is acknowledged there importance and relevance to the improvement of quality.The results of this study showed a group of possible difficulties and benefits as a result of thePhilosophy of Total Quality Management implementation, which can be attributed to the culturalcharacteristics of the institutions This study also concluded that in the two Higher EducationInstitutions it?s possible to implement some of the 14 of Deming’s principles and that their correctapplication could allow them to go forward from quality to excellence. However, it is important to pointout that those principles should be applied in a flexible way, in agreement with the specific needs ofeach organization.