STIMULATING TEACHING AND LEARNING INNOVATIONS TO ENHANCE HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY

The purpose of this paper is to examine the innovative practices that can be used as a tool for quality enhancement in higher education. More specifically, the paper seeks to examine how specific innovation contributes to the achievement of strategic goals and to reveal the most influencing practices for higher education institutions. The study included two phases: a survey and structured interviews with the management of the higher education institutions. A survey was conducted to determine the level of innovativeness and strategic planning in Croatian higher education institutions. In total, 135 managers replies were collected. Second phase included structured interviews with managers from 11 higher education institutions. The research revealed that, although majority of Croatian higher education institutions (HEIs) implemented strategy and plans for enhancing teaching quality, it doesnt fulfil their aim to motivate students and to enhance their teaching and learning practices. This paper integrates different approaches in analysis of teaching and learning quality. It combines strategic and innovation management with quality management practices and provides comprehensive framework for investigating teaching and learning (T&L) quality. The study draws attention to the importance of innovative practices as a tool for quality enhancement in higher education and suggests a set of guidelines for HEI s management to enhance teaching and learning quality.