03/08/2026
Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?
Are you aware that the introduction of External Quality Assurance in Zambian universities was met with resistance from some professors and academics?" Are you aware that some academics resisted the establishment of regulators such as the Higher Education Authority (HEA)?
The Latin phrase Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? means "Who watches the watchmen?" Coined by the Roman poet Juvenal nearly 2,000 years ago, it raises a timeless question: who guards the guards?
For centuries, universities were not subject to external inspection because they were regarded as self-governing communities of scholars. Professors and doctors were trusted to uphold academic standards through university senates, academic boards, peer review, and external examiners. In essence, the guardians of academic quality were expected to guard themselves.
This tradition of institutional autonomy became deeply rooted in university culture. Consequently, when independent quality assurance agencies began emerging worldwide, many academics viewed them with suspicion, fearing that external regulation would threaten academic freedom and institutional independence.
However, higher education changed significantly. The rapid expansion of universities, increasing student enrolments, greater public and private investment, the emergence of degree mills, and growing demand for credible qualifications highlighted the need for independent oversight.
In response, many countries established quality assurance agencies. In Zambia, the Higher Education Authority was created not to replace university scholars but to provide independent assurance that institutions meet nationally agreed quality standards.
This historical context helps explain why some academics have been critical of quality assurance regulators. Their concerns often reflect a long-standing tradition of self-governance rather than opposition to quality itself.
Here is the consolation to academics. External Quality Assurancey does not seek to replace academic self-governance; rather, it complements it by providing independent assurance that institutions meet nationally agreed standards. The goal is to strike a balance between institutional autonomy and public accountability. As the saying goes, autonomy without accountability can undermine public trust, while accountability without autonomy can undermine academic freedom.
The strongest education systems uphold both autonomy and accountability.
Albert Stanslas Junior Chisanga
Quality Assurance Professional, Governance Activist, Researcher and Consultant.
