In the context of university quality accreditation in Latin American countries, there is a set of processes associated with the deployment of quality procedures developed throughout an academic year. These processes and procedures are aligned with development of management and direction documents, such as five-year strategic plan, annual plan of general activities, educational model, etc. Within the framework of quality accreditation system, development of university educational models (UEMs), as university education management documents, is a complex process. Their usefulness for quality processes requires compliance with a set of criteria and keys to success identified in this study.

Various educational processes related to quality are associated with UEMs, such as planning teaching and learning environments, organizing educational offerings, determining teaching models and styles, research training, educational innovation, etc. This study answers the question: Under what criteria of value and standards do UEMs enable successful quality management in universities? Two objectives are met:
a) Determination of relevant components of educational model during its preparation and,
b) Best practices to be considered during its development in order to serve the objectives of university quality.

Theoretical framework of the study is based on Teacher Self-Determination Theory and OECD's Theory of Educational Quality. The method followed is primarily qualitative and based on a case study of two Peruvian universities that developed their UEMs. Two instruments were used for data collection: a checklist and a focus group analysis form.

The main results obtained indicate that the keys to good practice are associated with decision-making and determinations related to aligning the model with the institutional identity, ensuring participation, a clear pedagogical approach to which the university is committed, a realistic approach to educational offerings, and a clear definition of the graduate profile.

Keywords: University educational quality, Quality accreditation, University educational model, Teacher self-determination, Case study.