We are seeing an increasing number of online university credit courses and even fully-online degree programs all over the country. Over the past several years, the number of stand alone virtual universities which offer online degree programs has increased substantially. Currently, there are 17 virtual universities offering fully- online degree programs in Korea. The recent growth of virtual universities is being fueled by the increasing number of life-long learners. However, the quality of education and service provided by virtual universities is regarded as poorer than established universities. Since established universities with offline programs are authorized to offer degrees via the internet, and as foreign educational institutions are expected to enter Korea's distance learning market in the near future, virtual universities are faced with major challenges in improving the quality of education and service.
The primary purpose of this study is to explore the applicability of the Malcolm Baldrige criteria, which are known as the global standards for total quality management(TQM), to improve the quality of Korea-based virtual universities.
In this paper, we review the Malcolm Baldrige criteria for educational institutions and a case of Malcolm Baldrige Award winner (Kenneth W. Monfort College of Business). We also discuss the applicability of the Malcolm Baldrige criteria to improve the quality of virtual universities. Finally, we suggest 5 recommendations that will help enhance the quality and competitiveness of virtual universities in Korea.