The role, scale and expectations of higher education institutions have changed dramatically in recent times as knowledge-intensity has become a key determinant of economic competitiveness. Higher education institutions face increasing pressure to demonstrate their fitness to meet the needs of society and individuals. Questions about the quality, performance and productivity of higher education are central to these concerns, of relevance to society, governments and students. This Handbook brings together a group of international scholars to address these issues and propose how to move beyond them. This Handbook is the first comprehensive reference, laying out current research in the field, and bringing it up-to-date with cutting-edge theoretical and empirical contributions from leading international experts. Blending new research with richly contextualised national and regional examples, the authors give authoritative insights from around the globe on how best to understand, assess and improve quality, performance and accountability in higher education. This Handbook will become an invaluable tool for practitioners in higher education and education policy-making as well as researchers and students of social science and public policy. Contributors include: K.S. Adeyemo, K. Aleksandriyskaya, A. Amaral, S. Archer, I. Austin, E. Bell, P. Benneworth, C. Blanco, V. Borden, R. Bringle, R. Brown, H. Coates, G. Croucher, D. Dill, M. Dobbins, D. Edwards, A. Fryar, S. Fukahori, A. Gibson, F. Guo, M. Hanlon, L. Harvey, E. Hazelkorn, M. Hicks, N. Hillman, A.Y.-c.Hou, F. Huang, J. Huisman, Y. Ibrahim, R. Ismail, N. Jankowski, E. Jerez, G. Jones, B. Jongbloed, J. Jungblut, P. Kelly, R. King, K. Kinser, M. Klemencic, G. Kuh, J. Lane, L. Lange, M.C. Lennon, S.E. Lid, N.C. Liu, Y. Luo, M. Mahat, J. Marino, M. Martin, W.F Massy, A.C. McCormick, K. Moore, S. Moyo, P. Noonan, D. Orr, R. Shavelson, J. Shi, O.-J. Skodvin, B. Stensaker, F. Strydom, P. Teixeira, R. Tijssen, O. Troitschanskaia, A. Usher, F. van Vught, N.V. Varghese, H. Vossensteyn, M. Vukasovic, R. Wagenaar, C.D. Wan, E. Weber, H.P. Weingarten, W. Wen, D. Westerheijden, R. Williams, T. Yang, N. Zeeman, L. Zhang

It is said that crisis is the true test of a leader. The leaders who contributed to this volume and their peers at HBCUs nationwide were tested in unprecedented ways by the events of 2020 and 2021. The crisis caused by COVID-19 was unique in its wide-ranging effects, its duration, and the need for a multi-pronged and comprehensive response. This was a test to challenge even the strongest leaders. Accustomed to challenges and to adversity, the leaders of our nation's HBCUs stepped up, marshalled their forces, and developed and implemented plans to mitigate and to combat the impact of COVID-19 on their institutions and on African American higher education. While each president who contributed to this volume brought their own unique perspective, skills, and experience to the crisis on their particular campus, they confronted common challenges. Racial disparities in the United States affect every aspect of life, and the pandemic magnified and exacerbated those disparities. The racial disparities that we see in our health and health care in this country are evident in the numbers of African Americans, including college students, who contracted the virus and who suffered significant health ramifications and even death. At the same time, COVID-19 forced our nation online and the racial and economic digital divide which some thought had been bridged turned out to be wider than ever. As jobs were lost, particularly in service industries and other key sectors, people of color, especially Black and Brown people, took a disproportionate economic hit. Not only did HBCU leaders have to develop and implement plans to mitigate COVID's deadly threat to the health and safety of their students, faculty, and staff, they also had to address the challenges associated with trying to provide remote learning for students who lacked computers and internet access at home; transporting students back home who didn't have the resources to pay for transportation; and in some cases finding housing for students who could not return home or didn't have a home or sufficient food, among other issues.