ACADEMIC AND INSTITUTIONAL AUDITS
Staff
Dr Hardson Kwandayi
Director – Academic and Institutional Audits
Dr. Hardson Kwandayi joined the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE) in October 2021 as the Director of Academic and Institutional Audits. In this role, he oversees the auditing of internal quality assurance systems across all universities in Zimbabwe. He has also coordinated the development of national quality assurance standards and guidelines for institutional and programme audits.
Before joining ZIMCHE, Dr. Kwandayi served as Director of Quality Assurance at Lupane State University, building on his extensive teaching and administrative experience in higher education. His academic career began in 1995 at the Centre for Distance Education (CDE), University of Zimbabwe, where he lectured in Educational Administration and Policy Studies.
He was instrumental in establishing academic structures and governance mechanisms across institutions, including the creation of a departmental foundation at Zimbabwe Open University and the establishment of key research oversight processes.
Dr. Kwandayi was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 2000 to pursue doctoral studies at the University of Arizona, USA, where he completed a PhD combining Higher Education Administration (major) and Geography (minor). During his doctoral studies, he worked as a Graduate Research Associate in the Department of Educational Leadership.
Academic Qualifications:
He has completed advanced training through UNESCO and the DIES/DAAD/University of Potsdam programmes, and has contributed extensively to capacity building, research, public policy analysis, and institutional quality assurance across the region.
Dr. Kwandayi has participated in institutional reviews and audits in Zimbabwe and internationally, including Eswatini (2023), Mauritius (2024), and Namibia (2025). He also serves as an adjudicator on the Presidential Innovations Award Panel.
He sits on the Executive Board of the Southern African Quality Assurance Network (SAQAN) as Deputy President, and is also an Executive Board Member of the African Quality Assurance Network (AfriQAN). Additionally, he is a trained peer reviewer for the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE).
Key Functions and Responsibilities
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A. Development and Review of Quality Assurance Frameworks
Formulating and reviewing national quality assurance standards, criteria, benchmarks, and guidelines for institutional and programme audits. -
B. Planning and Execution of Quality Audits
Conducting institutional audits, programme audits/accreditation reviews, compliance audits, and coordinating peer reviewer audit teams. -
C. Reporting and Recommendations
Producing evidence-based audit reports, providing actionable recommendations, and sharing audit outcomes with key stakeholders. -
D. Monitoring and Follow-up
Tracking institutional implementation of recommendations and conducting follow-up visits/reviews to assess progress and impact. -
E. Capacity Building and Support
Providing training, workshops, and advisory services to institutions on best practices, self-evaluation, and audit preparedness. -
F. Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration
Engaging HEIs and national stakeholders, while collaborating with regional and international quality assurance networks. -
G. Research and Development
Conducting research on emerging trends and continuously improving audit methodologies, tools, and quality assurance processes.
Desired Outcomes
Key outcomes of institutional and programme audits include:
- A robust and credible higher education system that produces high-quality graduates.
- Enhanced accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement culture within HEIs.
- Increased public confidence in the quality of education provided.
- International recognition and competitiveness of Zimbabwe’s higher education sector.
Legal Mandate
The Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE) Act of 2006 mandates ZIMCHE to audit the internal quality assurance systems of all institutions of higher education in Zimbabwe [Section 7, subsection 5(bii)].
The auditing process provides critical information on the quality of education provision in the country and is guided by the ZIMCHE Manual on Academic and Institutional Audits.
What Does Academic and Institutional Audit Mean?
In the context of quality assurance in higher education, an institutional audit is a process for checking that policies, procedures, systems and practices are in place to assure quality, integrity and high standards of education provision and outcomes.
Objectives of an Institutional Audit
- Assess the level of internal quality assurance implementation in an institution.
- Assess the consistency, coherence and effectiveness of an institution’s internal quality assurance system in enabling student success and institutional achievement in research, teaching, community service, innovation and industrialisation (Education 5.0).
- Encourage and support institutions to strengthen internal quality management systems through continuous self-reflection and improvement.
- Assure society that internal quality assurance safeguards educational provision and qualifications.
Quality Assurance Standards Used in Audits
Academic auditing of institutions is based on the following 17 ZIMCHE Quality Assurance Standards:
These standards are operationalised through elements or requirements, and an institution that provides quality education should meet the key expectations under each standard.
Programme Audit Quality Expectations
Academic auditing also takes place at programme level. A good academic programme should meet the following quality expectations:
- Intended learning outcomes
- Programme structure and content
- Teaching and learning opportunities and strategies
- Student assessment
- Academic staff quality
- Support staff quality
- Student quality
- Facilities and infrastructure
- Quality enhancement activities and strategies
- Programme outputs and outcomes
- Community service, outreach and engagement
- Research, innovation and industrialisation
- Programme management
Types of Regular Institutional Audits
Institutional audits consist of regular and special audits. A regular audit is a periodic on-site verification activity of the internal quality assurance system of the whole institution to ensure compliance with set quality assurance standards.
ZIMCHE may conduct a special institutional audit if:
- Requested by the parent Ministry and guided by specified Terms of Reference.
- There is a noticeable increase in unresolved quality-related complaints against an institution.
- There are substantial concerns arising from institutional and programme accreditation reports.
Key Elements of the Institutional Audit Process
1. Institutional Self-Evaluation
The institution being audited conducts self-evaluation and prepares a self-evaluation report based on ZIMCHE requirements and standards.
2. Site Visit and Validation
A panel of peer reviewers conducts an on-site visit to validate the self-evaluation report through evidence gathering and engagement with multiple stakeholders.
Appeal Process
An institution may appeal against the decision of Council following established appeal procedures.