The article highlights the importance of teachers in students’ development who are immersed in specific school contexts which involve a set of conditions and actions considered by the institutions to develop teaching practice. Teacher assessment policies are one of these and although they have been designed since more than two decades ago, little is known about how institutions perform teaching and assessment practices and if they are effectively serving their purposes. This study presents the results of a diagnostic of evaluation practices in Mexican universities and also the most salient features of a study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on quality teaching at universities. According to the analysis of previous investigations and to the common findings, key points are proposed to assist and guide future actions in assessment of teacher function and performance practices, looking back above their main function: improving teaching.

Institutional context, evaluation of teaching, teacher assessment.