HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY: FROM THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT TO SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT1

Abstract

Important indicators of higher education quality are teaching and learning environments, research reputation and projects, authors’ citations, international recognition and collaboration, students’ achievements, students’ abilities and competencies for their future work. The best way for the university to achieve these goals include good knowledge about the historical context of the development of education and about the needs of a particular society. The aims of our research were to determine: 1) historical values of education as a starting point of its development, 2) how higher education quality is determined in relation to the needs of the society. We have confirmed that modernity and innovation are the basic starting points for the development of higher education. However, it is also necessary to recognize historical values of education as a starting point of its development. The quality of higher education and the best pedagogical practice can only be accomplished if the good sides of the system of traditional teaching are not neglected. These are the historical values of the social system of education and basic educational principles in contemporary higher learning and teaching.