This paper discusses challenges that can confront higher education institutions when quality assurance measures such as student evaluation of teaching are introduced. It is based on a research study of how student evaluation of individual instrumental tuition is perceived, experienced and practiced by instrumental teachers and their students at a Norwegian music academy. The study takes institutional theory as its point of departure. This theory focuses on how norms, values, routines, and perceptions develop in an institution and result in a collective ”logic of appropriateness”: taken for granted expectations as to how members of the institution should” behave. The results indicate that there exists such a “logic of appropriateness” in the case institution, and that it represents several challenges to student evaluation of teaching. The results underline the importance of understanding the prevailing ”logic of
appropriateness” when introducing quality assurance measures such as student evaluation of teaching in higher education institutions.