**9. Concluding remarks**

The complex nature of quality control and assurance in higher education revealed itself in this study. While standard business techniques and tools apply to the purely business aspects of the organization, academic quality assurance was most supported by an integrated, collaborative approach to define the quality system and measures that match the organization culture and the education mission.

Faced with multiple demands in a rapidly changing world university models continue to evolve. One such evolution is repositioning at the centre of economic and technological development that has brought universities closer to business models and needing to straddle the Academic Business nexus. Universities have been largely successful in doing so. In this study, 73% of staff confirmed they have a generally positive view of quality control and quality assurance.

Universities pride themselves on their different cultures, ethos and values as well as their education offerings. However, in education essentials they are often more the same than different. Similarly, there are different staff role grouping in higher education with somewhat different academic and business perceptions of the organization. These group differences are in reality less than the commonly held views of difference and tension. Participation, collaboration and integration of staff groupings within quality processes and systems can overcome these tensions.

The apparent and actual differences between academic and business views of higher education are reconcilable. Quality control and assurance systems, tools and applications create natural opportunities for different staff groups to collaborate and integrate.

Quality control and assurance in higher education goes beyond the understanding and implementation of policies and procedures. Higher education quality at its best is a lived and meaningful experience from which knowledge and innovation can arise. This research study was motivated by a need to address the changing nature of higher education organizations. The Academic Business nexus in higher education is at the root of current changes. A widening business focus requires a shift in staff roles and identity, and changes in organization mission. Higher qualifications among profession staff have given rise to the concept of the "third space", reflecting the heightened interdependence of different staff roles.
