Systemic Barriers to Total Quality Management in Libyan Higher Education under Conditions of Institutional Instability

Abstract

Despite the growing adoption of Total Quality Management in higher education, limited attention has been given to how institutional instability reshapes quality management practices in fragile systems, particularly in under-researched contexts such as Libya. This study examines the systemic barriers to implementing Total Quality Management in Libyan higher education, with a focus on the University of Zawia. Using a quantitative descriptive survey design, data were collected from 146 academic and administrative participants across multiple institutional levels. A structured questionnaire was employed to assess five dimensions of quality management, including leadership and strategic planning, organizational culture and human resources, infrastructure, monitoring and continuous improvement, and student orientation alongside external pressures. The findings indicate that the overall level of challenges is high (M = 3.54, SD = 0.93), reflecting deeply embedded structural constraints. The most critical barriers include political and economic instability, limited financial capacity, inadequate infrastructure, weak institutional follow-up mechanisms, and insufficient staff training. These constraints are not isolated operational issues but are interconnected and mutually reinforcing, shaping a systemic pattern of quality management limitations. This study reinforces the argument that Total Quality Management in fragile higher education contexts cannot be effectively understood through procedural or technical frameworks alone. Instead, it requires a context-sensitive approach that accounts for the interaction between institutional weaknesses and external instability. The findings highlight the need for integrated reforms involving strategic coordination, capacity building, and adaptive quality assurance systems supported by sustained regulatory and financial commitment.