Educational development centres: from educational to organisational development?

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to investigate the role of educational development centres, and their potential for playing a broader and more central role in quality and organisational development.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on the results of three external evaluations of educational development centres in Denmark and Norway, combined with a literature review of studies of educational development centres.

Findings

Educational development centres are in a period of transformation due to external forces (Bologna, the demand for institutional quality systems, etc.), and this creates new dilemmas and challenges for educational development.

Originality/value

The paper points to the need to broaden the focus of educational development, and link it closer to other processes related to quality and organisational development.

Citation

Havnes, A. and Stensaker, B. (2006), "Educational development centres: from educational to organisational development?", Quality Assurance in Education, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 7-20. https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880610643584