The paper analyses the need for change as universities emphasize quality and strive to be more relevant and responsive to external demands. The concept of universities becoming learning communities has been a major thrust of the past 15 years, and the accompanying quality imperative places new demands on all members of the university community. The quality assurance initiative at the University of the West Indies is used to demonstrate the implications of policy change for institutional culture, and the vital importance of collaboration and partnership within the university community in implementing such change.