Guidelines for Education Sector (ISO/IWA 2) - New ISO Standard ISO 21001

Sidney Vianna

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http://www.iso.org/iso/en/commcentre/pressreleases/2004/Ref889.html
press release from the ISO website:

ISO has published specific guidelines for organizations in the education sector wishing to benefit from the implementation of ISO 9001:2000, the latest, improved version of ISO's quality management system standards that have been adopted by more than half a million users in all sectors worldwide.

While ISO 9000 users already include educational establishments of all types, the guidelines will facilitate implementation by the sector of ISO 9001:2000. The guidelines are intended for organizations at all levels, providing all types of education, including: elementary, medium and higher; special and adult education; distance and e-learning.

ISO/IWA 2: Quality management systems - Guidelines for the application of ISO 9001:2000 in education, contains the full text of ISO 9001:2000, clause-by-clause, followed by specific text making the standard easier to understand and implement by the education sector. In addition, IWA 2 includes the full text of ISO 9004:2000, which gives organizations guidelines for achieving further benefits from their quality management systems through the pursuit of continual improvement of performance.

The IWA 2 guidelines do not add to, change or modify the requirements of ISO 9001:2000 and it is not intended that organizations be certified to the document. However, it is intended to be useful to both internal and external parties, including certification bodies when the user organization is seeking ISO 9001:2000 certification, to asses the organization's ability to meet customer, regulatory and its own quality requirements.

IWA 2 is ISO's second International Workshop Agreement. This is one of several ISO alternatives to International Standards for cases where swift development and publication takes priority. Compared to the usual ISO process of developing International Standards through its technical committee structure, IWA's are developed in open workshops and organized by a national standards institute.

IWA 2 was approved at a workshop held in Acapulco, Mexico, in October 2002, and hosted by the General Bureau of Standards (DGN), with the support and cooperation of the Mexican Institute for Standardization and Certification (IMNC) and the National Committee for Standardization on Quality Management Systems (COTENNSISCAL). The Latin-American Institute for Quality (INLAC) facilitated the meeting.

ISO Secretary-General Alan Bryden commented: "IWA 2 is significant on at least three counts. Firstly, it is yet another example that ISO 9001:2000 is applicable to an even broader range of activities than the previous versions, in particular to services in both private and public sectors - which should attract new organizations to reap the benefits of implementing it. Secondly, the IWA formula demonstrates ISO's flexibility in meeting the different requirements of the market. Thirdly, the initiative for these education sector guidelines came from Mexico, which illustrates the dynamism of ISO's worldwide system - active participation can and does come from members all round the world."

ISO/IWA 2: Quality management systems - Guidelines for the application of ISO 9001:2000 in education, costs 158 Swiss francs and is available (in English only) from ISO national member institutes (see the complete list) and from ISO Central Secretariat.
 
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WALLACE

It's hard to see where ISO9001 would be applicable within an educational system when, education in general is very management by objectives regarding goals and achievements
I've been there and, attempted to introduce quality management principles into an educational facility. I failed, well my approach failed due to teaching staff feeling threatened by the accountability factors of the ISO9001 standard.
The other issue would be the continual improvement part of the standard. IMO FWIW, it just doesn't tie in to the current cultural ideals of educational systems.
I firmly believe that Deming's principles would be best or better applied initially to education rather than infusing ISO9001.
Just my thoughts.
What's your thoughts Sydney?
Wallace.
 

Sidney Vianna

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Wallace, I have no first-hand experience with the implementation of ISO 9001 in an Academic Environment. However, management by objectives (IF MEANINGFULLY IMPLEMENTED) should fit well with ISO 9001:2000, imo.

Further, if accountability is something that the teachers resist to (what I think you are correct, even though it is always dangerous to make broad generalizations), then NO approach would succeed.

Any activity without accountability is doomed.
 
G

Greg B

WALLACE said:
It's hard to see where ISO9001 would be applicable within an educational system when, education in general is very management by objectives regarding goals and achievements
I've been there and, attempted to introduce quality management principles into an educational facility. I failed, well my approach failed due to teaching staff feeling threatened by the accountability factors of the ISO9001 standard.
Just my thoughts.
What's your thoughts Sydney?
Wallace.
Wallace,
I applied for a position at the local University a few years ago as they were implementing QA. I was a bit shocked that each Faculty was implementing theiindividual Systems (complete with their own Qualityy Manual and procedures) and the overall university was implementing another. I still wonder how they merged them all. I did not go thru with the job application as I did some research with a friend of mine who is the Safety Coordinator for the Uni and he has problems everyday with accountability of the staff and students. Many of them think that they, as academics, are above the normal class of human and they CAN wear Flip Flops (thongs) to class and they can go without having audits etc . Many claim that Safety is a common sense issue ergo they being academics have it in spades ergo they do not need someone telling them how to be safe. (Not a nice place to implement Safety nor Quality I assume).


WALLACE said:
The other issue would be the continual improvement part of the standard. IMO FWIW, it just doesn't tie in to the current cultural ideals of educational systems.
I firmly believe that Deming's principles would be best or better applied initially to education rather than infusing ISO9001.

I have been following QA across all levels of schooling in Australia and in most cases there have been positive benefits mainly in the areas of continual improvement and the review of procedures. There is still that strong cultural barrier but they are slowly learning that it must be broken down. It is alot like when ISO was implemented in many Australian businesses in the late 80s and early 90s. IMO the biggest mindset that the universities have to overcome is the fact that they are a SERVICE industry and they are selling themselves and their product to the Students. I have attached a link to the 'Australian - Higher Education Quality Assurance Framework' if your bored you may want to read it.

http://www.dest.gov.au/highered/occpaper/00g/00g.pdf

Greg B
 
W

WALLACE

Thanks for the link Greg,
I'll get into that later.
I recall reading an article a few years back regarding, the infusion of systems thinking principles within the Australian educational systems. The article suggested that, systems thinking tools and techniques had great opportunities within the Australian education systems because of the young age of the country and, the developing cultural identity that was emerging.

Regarding accountability and quality systems in education. It seems to counter what, Deming advocated regarding education and, the measurement of student's capabilities.
Here's one of my examples of how quality principles just don't work within an educational system.
The provincial report cards came home yesterday, I looked at one of my son's reports and, I had concerns. I wrote a note to his teacher saying, "Oh well, its a pity that we have to learn of an issue after the fact, rather than dealing with a problem or issue (Special cause) when the damage has been done".
Now this is just my bemoaning the Canadian educational system yet :mad: , it's very clear that, educational systems in the west, don't have a cultural allowance for continual assessment (Measurement of module teaching units) rather than the end test type of teaching.
Am I making any sense here?
Wallace.
 
G

Greg B

Wallace,

I agree. I have been looking at doing a Graduate Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (thru University) or a Diploma of Occupational Health and Safety (thru our TAFE Colleges). The University still persists in Assignments and End of term tests and they take soooo long to complete. The College however require ongoing evidence of competency throughout each unit. They do not have end of term tests but rather staggered assignements or practicals that prove competency in each key point or objective. These are also followed up with 360 degree surveys from peers and superiors (in workplace situations) and Joint Assessment reviews (You and the supervisor/manager have to prove that you are competent and that you understand the objectives). I am the facilitator for our company's program for Front Line Management. We teach Certificate IV level and Diploma level (it is like distance education). We have a TAFE college teacher come to the plant for each unit and they discuss the topic for a few days and the participants then have to complete the unit over a two month period supplying evidence along the way. We also give each student a mentor and the mentors are also trained. It is a better system of learning IMO than the University style. The Vice Chancellor, of our local university, declared before he retired that universities had to come into the 21st century and change they way in which they prove someone's knowledge. Sit down exams for three hours every term is not the nswer and does NOT prove competency. It is often the TAFE colleges within Australia that win all of the scholastic awards for new endeavours and learning techniques. I still have my post nominals but a lot of people (Universities) frown on them and don't give them the recognition they deserve.

The QA systems that I have seen in Uni's thus far are more about the internal procedures such as enrollements or compliants rather than imporving the actual learning media. I really think that thye should be looking at their curriculums and outcomes. I know that the Bachelor of Learning Management (new teaching degree) is very progressive in it's approach to ensuring that new teachers are progressive and are/nt afraid to try new methods but it seems a bit hypocritical that the learnign establishment that teaches this does not seem to learn from it. They are still old fashioned in their beliefs. Some lecturers I have spoken too truley believe that they will diminish a University Degree if they change to Status Quo when it comes to testing.

Greg B
 

Marc

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A consideration:

http://Elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=2491

Educational institution registration to ISO 9001 goes back to before 1998. I even got quote requests back during that timeframe and for a while later. Interestingly enough, back then law firms were also inquiring about ISO 9001 registration.

Does anyone know of any law firms which are registered?
 
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WALLACE

I have a very good lawyer friend, who asked for my help a couple of years ago regarding , the possibility of setting-up and implementing a BMS that would use ISO 9001.
:mg: It didn't take us too long to see the litigation issues that would have been raised regarding prescriptive use of the ISO9001 standard within the legal professions.
My friend jokingly said, "There would be lawyers coming out of the cracks in the wall to make a living out of litigation cases relating to the ISO 9001 standard if it was a legislated standard of compliance". A whole new service industry would be created overnight I guess.
Think of the money you could make mark. :rolleyes:
Wallace.
 
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