International accreditation and university quality management as factors for enhancing competitiveness in the global educational services market

Abstract

The article examines the impact of international accreditation and quality management systems established in accordance with its requirements on the global competitiveness of Russian universities, which is driven by the increasing internationalization of higher education and intensified competition for human and financial resources. The aim of the study is to empirically test the hypothesis that international accreditation serves as a catalyst for internal organizational changes and a multiplier of efficiency, reflected in the dynamics of key indicators of the university’s export and research potential, as well as in graduates’ career trajectories. The material is based on data from comprehensive monitoring of the activities of 128 universities for the period 2018-2023, formed using a stratified sampling method based on the presence or absence of international (program or institutional) accreditation; official reports, performance monitoring indicators, open international ranking databases, and registers of accredited programs were employed. The methodological framework included correlation – regression and cluster analysis, benchmarking, content analysis of expert assessments by international commissions, surveys of managerial staff and students, as well as evaluation of the maturity of quality management systems using an adapted EFQM model. It was found that universities with international accreditation demonstrate faster growth in the proportion of foreign students from non-CIS countries, exponential growth in RandD volume per faculty member, and a higher integral index of graduates’ career success, particularly in engineering and technical fields; the statistically significant effect appears 2-3 years after obtaining accreditation. The cumulative and synergistic nature of accreditation’s impact was revealed, manifested in the mutual reinforcement of internationalization, research performance, and graduates’ attractiveness in the labor market. It is concluded that international accreditation, combined with a mature quality management system, should be regarded as a strategic tool for improving global competitiveness and requires universities to shift from episodic participation in accreditation procedures to a long-term quality management policy integrated into the institution’s development strategy.