ISO Certification: Ensuring the Quality of Education

INTRODUCTION

            Quality is very important to everyone. On the products and services we buy, we always look for the quality rather than the quantity. Some say, “It is better to spend money than to regret after we bought a low quality products and services.” It is also important to have a high quality in education. Some parents brought their child to private schools to sure that their child will acquire more knowledge and become competent.

            Internationally, there is an organization that sets standards for its members to have a model in doing their products and services. All customers of the members of this organization can trust that the products of that company are on high quality. That organization is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

What is ISO

            The International Organization for Standardization, widely known as ISO, is an international-standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standard organizations. It was founded on 23 February 1947. Its headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland. The ability of this organization is to set standards that often become a law, either through treaties or national standards, makes it powerful than most non-governmental organization.

            The International Organization for Standardization is the world’s largest developer and publisher of international standard. ISO is network of national standards institute of 159 countries, one member per country with a central secretariat in Geneva, that coordinates the system. It is a non-governmental organization that forms a bridge between the public and private sectors. One the other hand, many of its member institutes are part of the governmental structure of their countries, or are mandated by their government. Other members have their roots uniquely in the private sector, having been set up by national partnership of industry association. 

Benefits of ISO standards

            For business, the widespread adoption of international means that suppliers can develop and offer products and services meeting  specification that have wide international acceptance in their sectors. Therefore, businesses using standards can compete on many more markets around the world.

            For innovators of new technology, International Standards on aspects like terminology, compatibility and safety speed up the dissemination of innovations and their development into marketable products.

            For government, International Standards provide the technological and scientific bases underpinning health, safety and environmental legislation.

            For trade officials, International Standards create a level of playing field for all competitors on those markets. The existence of divergent national or regional standards can create technical barriers to trade. International Standards are the technical means by which political trade agreements can be put into practice.

            For developing country, International Standards that represents an international consensus on the state of the art are an important source of technological know-how. By defining the characteristics that products and services will be expected to meet on export markets. International standards give developing countries a basis for making the right decisions when investing their scarce resources and thus avoid squandering them.

            For customers, the worldwide compatibility of technology which is achieved when products and services are based on International Standards gives them a broad choice of offers. They also benefit from the effect of competition among suppliers.

Ensuring the Quality of Education with ISO certification

            Standards are a vehicle for the sharing of knowledge. The key role of standards has been implicitly recognized in education programs covering a broad variety of technical fields.

            However, it is more recent trend the increased awareness of educational institutions all over the world of the importance of standardization activities in a more general sense, for the contribution that they can give to trade of products and services, to promoting good business practices and to fostering technological innovation.

            International Organization for Standardization considers this trend of utmost importance and believes in the fundamental contribution that educational institutions can give on teaching what international standardization is and what can be achieved through it.

            In the Philippines, one example of educational institution that ensures the quality of its education because it is a member of International Organization for Standardization is the Misamis University.

            Misamis University is the first and only ISO certified university by Det Norske Veritas, Netherlands for quality Education and services in Mindanao. Misamis University received ISO 9001:2000 certification on April 28, 2005 for its quality management system pertaining to educational, research and training services. ISO 9001:2000 is an internationally recognized certification standard for quality management that has been adopted by governments in 146 countries.

            Misamis University is the only University in Northwestern Mindanao that caters to more than 8,000 students every year in its 7.5 hectares campus in H.T Feliciano Street, Ozamiz City. It stands proud of all its accomplishments having grown from only 4 courses when it started, to more than 55 courses it now offers. It has driven hard to faithfully fulfill its mission to advocate a God-centered existence and offer an education that is committed to the development of the person, who is God-fearing, principled and socially responsible.

            At the onset of the third millennium, the institution continuously responded to the challenge of quality education in various fields of specialization. In April 4, 2000, the computer program was identified by CHED as a Center for Development for excellence in Information Technology Education. The one-year Seafarer course with specialization in Deck Rating was opened in school year 1999-2000. To widen the program for computer technology, BS in Information Technology was opened in school year 2001-2002. Subsequently, the CISCO Networking Academy was started in 2002-2003.

            To this end, Misamis University operates a fully-documented quality management system designed to ensure that specified education, training and support requirements are met. The effectiveness is monitored through regular internal auditing, students, staff and faculty feedback, management reviews and external auditing. Areas on non-compliance are addressed by corrective action. ISO requires conformity to standards that are developed by national delegations of experts from government, business and other private sectors.

            Since 1929, the University has maintained a reputation for high academic standards, and achievement of ISO certification provides even more confidence to students that their requirements for academic quality are being met on a continuous basis, and that they will have the required knowledge and skills when they graduate.

CONCLUSION

            We therefore conclude that ISO certification ensures the Quality of Education. It ensures the performances of companies and the quality of products and services.

 In education, schools that are ISO certified, operate a fully-documented quality management system designed to ensure that specified education, training and support requirements are met. They can assure that their students can acquire knowledge and skills and also become competent in the fields of their profession.