A quality process means that all the steps within the organization's functioning from beginning to end work effectively toward the desired goals, with each step adding value. We tend not to think about a quality process. The emphasis on quality output is inadequate because we cannot inspect quality into a product or service at the end of the line. Once a product is made or a service rendered, the only way to improve it is to do it over. On the other hand, if the process is properly designed and functional, quality is built into the result.
Inputs are a favorite proxy for quality in higher education.
Inputs are important indeed, but they do not create or measure quality. Design, processes, and outputs define appropriate inputs. Proper inputs maximize the system, while improper inputs limit the system. From the perspective of improving quality, an institution is a collection of processes. Knowing why a process exists is the first step to improving it.