Introduction:

Nowadays, quality in higher education institutions is a worldwide challenge, specifically in Ecuador. In this respect, there are two ways to achieve the desired quality, which complement each other: on the one hand, external quality assurance, based on evaluation and accreditation models; on the other hand, internal quality management in educational institutions.

Objective:

To reflect about the challenges of quality management in higher education institutions in Ecuador, in close relation to the current accreditation model, which establishes the quality requirements in higher education in the country.

Development:

The internal management of educational quality is paramount for the achievement of higher standards, in accordance with the needs of students and the society, based on curricular excellence and relevance, which are consistent with the educational model, and the academic fields of all higher education institutions. The challenges in quality management are associated with to the three substantive functions of the Ecuadorian university: teaching, research, and relationship with society, as well as with the institutional conditions, which enable its execution.

Conclusions:

Continuous improvement in the performance of educational institutions is achieved through the execution of concrete improvement projects, teamwork, leadership, commitment, the involvement of every person.

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