Quality Culture in Indonesian Madrasahs: An Integrated Educational Quality Assurance Model

Abstract

Madrasahs play a strategic role in fostering students’ academic competencies and Islamic character through the provision of quality education. Strengthening a quality culture is essential for ensuring continuous improvement while preserving the distinctive characteristics of Islamic education. This article aims to develop an integrated educational quality assurance model to strengthen the quality culture of madrasahs in Indonesia. Using a qualitative approach with content analysis, data were collected from educational regulations, quality assurance policies, scholarly publications, and other relevant documents. All data were analyzed thematically using NVivo 12. The findings indicate that strengthening a quality culture requires the integration of educational standards, Madrasah Self-Evaluation, performance-based planning and budgeting, quality evidence management, and the utilization of accreditation feedback within a continuous improvement cycle. Based on these themes, an integrated quality assurance model was developed linking National Education Standards, distinctive Islamic educational values, planning, implementation, evaluation, and follow-up actions in a systematic framework. The findings highlight that alignment among quality assurance processes is fundamental to fostering a sustainable quality culture in madrasahs. This article contributes a conceptual model that may inform policy development, institutional governance, and quality assurance practices in Indonesian madrasahs.