The relationship between quality assurance and staff management in higher education institutions is the focus of this paper. Academics' perception of drivers and barriers to quality assessment was analysed and the contribution of internal quality systems to a more effective human capital management is highlighted. Through an online survey, this study assesses not only the academics' perceptions of the implementation of quality assurance system in higher education institutions, but also their insights of impacts of that in human resources management. According to the results, academics seem to consider that when they work as active players in the quality assurance processes, they tend to impact it positively, although they can still recognize that, in given situations, they act as barriers. Both internationalization and processes were identified as having a positive impact on quality. However, academics complain about the high bureaucracy involved in quality assessment, the lack of time to deal with its demands and, the deviation of their focus from the most important issues of academic life - teaching and research. The lack of financial and infrastructural resources was seen as real inhibitors of quality, such as the dismastment and continuous change of guidelines and government policies, as well as vested interests.
