Systemic Approach on Higher Education Quality in the National Innovation System Framework

There is a National Innovation System in countries which includes network of different institutions, that their interactions provide appropriate ground for production and development of science and technology. This system forms value chain from idea to product and market and provides innovation climate and innovative activities throughout this chain. Higher education sector is one of the core elements of national innovation system (NIS). Then quality concept in higher education can be analyzed in this system, which now changed to national open innovation system (NOIS). Actually, by systemic approach, higher education quality is influenced by NOIS in one hand and impacts on it from other hand. Therefore, quality in higher education is a multidimensional concept which needs a quality plan and quality management. This paper aims by stating the higher education position in the NIS and with focusing on developments of its mission, to reflect the role of Technology management on quality issue with systemic approach. Then, it defines quality by considering the position and mission of higher education sector along with offering a conceptual model. It is evident that, quality should be considered as a flow and culture not as a tool until could be institutionalized. In this respect, it is required to develop and execute short and long term quality plans in line with NIS.