Internal quality assurance strategies for enhancing students’ soft skills in Tanzania’s higher education institutions

Abstract

This paper explored the strategies used by the Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) units of the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to enhance soft skills among university students in Tanzania. The qualitative research approach was adopted using a multi-case study design involving a sample of thirty-nine (39) participants obtained through purposive and convenient sampling procedures. The study used interviews, focus group discussion and documentary review methods to collect data for the study. The paper deployed thematic and content analysis procedures in the analysis of data. The findings revealed four quality assurance strategies to enhance university students’ soft skills, including developing and reviewing curricula, prolonged field attachment, student assessment and developing academic personnel. The study concludes that there is more to be done to ensure that HEIs students are competent in soft skills for their future life realities. The study recommends assigning soft skills greater emphasis in HEIs curricula due to their importance in future life of the students. More studies on the studied topic using larger samples and different contexts are also recommended.