Quality management of research and innovation activities is not included in the institutional audits of most European higher education systems, except in Denmark, Austria, Switzerland and Finland. The volume of research, development and innovation activities (RDI) is rising as well as the activities of quality management. The study examines how Finnish universities of applied sciences (UAS) have interpreted the notion of quality of RDI activities. The principal mechanisms of quality management of RDI used in Finland to facilitate learning and dissemination of these practices is reviewed. Empirical data of the study was from audit report chapters on quality management of RDI activities in Finnish UAS produced by the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre. Qualitative analysis of the data shows that Finnish UAS have geared their quality management systems towards enlarging volume of their RDI activities, preferably in a select number of focus areas, and acquiring external funding. The audit reports do not have much evidence of the notion of quality as pursuit of excellence. The data shows the tools utilized across the sector for maintaining and developing the quality of RDI projects. In the future UAS will raise the level of ambition in quality management of RDI and construct more robust indicators on the quality and impact of their RDI outputs.
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