Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Indonesian and Pakistani Higher Education: A Comparative Systematic Literature Review

Mustofa Mustofa, Muhammad Arsalan Khan, Atiqa Malik, Abid Ur Rahman — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Higher education accreditation has become a central mechanism through which governments and independent agencies certify institutional and programmatic quality, protect public trust, and support national development goals. This systematic literature review compares the accreditation and quality assurance systems of Indonesia and Pakistan, two large, culturally diverse developing countries in Asia that share comparable histories of educational massification, resource constraints, and reform pressure. Drawing on peer-reviewed journal articles, official regulatory documents, and credible policy and news sources, the review examines the governance architecture, quality assurance mechanisms, and outcomes of Indonesia's National Accreditation Board for Higher Education (BAN-PT) and its emerging cluster of Independent Accreditation Institutions (Lembaga Akreditasi Mandiri, or LAM), alongside Pakistan's Higher Education Commission (HEC) and its Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). The review finds that although both countries have adopted internationally aligned, standards-based accreditation frameworks and pursue membership in regional and global quality assurance networks, they differ markedly in institutional design. Indonesia has moved toward a decentralized, discipline-based accreditation ecosystem coupled with a mandatory internal quality assurance system (Sistem Penjaminan Mutu Internal, or SPMI), while Pakistan has retained a more centralized, research-weighted evaluation model administered directly by HEC. Both systems face persistent challenges, including political interference, uneven resource allocation, limited assessor capacity, weak internal quality cultures in smaller and private institutions, and difficulty translating accreditation status into genuine improvements in teaching and research quality. The review concludes with recommendations concerning governance integrity, capacity building, digitalization of quality assurance processes, and closer regional cooperation between the two systems and their peers in Asia

Score vs Moral Value: Reframing Portfolio Assessment through the Education Model for All-to-One in Higher Education

Febrika Yogie Hermanto, Anthony Ogbolu Nnamdi, Abdul Halim — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The dominance of score-based assessment in higher education has long been justified by its capacity to ensure standardisation, comparability, and accountability. However, such approaches are increasingly insufficient in capturing the reflective, ethical, and autonomy-related dimensions of student development, particularly in the era of human–AI interaction. Drawing on the philosophical framework of Immanuel Kant and supported by contemporary theories of motivation and assessment, this study proposes a conceptual reorientation that integrates score and moral value within higher education assessment. Using semi-systematic literature review-based approach grounded in Google Scholar data, this study synthesises research on assessment theory, portfolio assessment, learner autonomy, recognition of prior learning, and AI-mediated education. The analysis leads to the development of a dual assessment framework-Score vs Moral Value-operationalised through portfolio assessment and embedded within the Education Model for All-to-One. This model combines standardised evaluation of cognitive achievement with reflective portfolio practices that capture students’ reasoning, identity, and moral agency, while supporting flexible learning pathways aligned with diverse graduate profiles. The study contributes theoretically by reframing portfolio assessment as a moral and reflective practice grounded in philosophical and psychological perspectives, and practically by proposing an integrated assessment–curriculum model that links higher education with individual and societal needs. In the context of AI-driven educational transformation, the framework offers a more authentic and future-oriented approach to assessment, shifting the focus from what students achieve to who they become as autonomous and ethically responsible individuals.

Journal of Quality Enhancement in Higher Education

Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Indonesian and Pakistani Higher Education: A Comparative Systematic Literature Review

Score vs Moral Value: Reframing Portfolio Assessment through the Education Model for All-to-One in Higher Education