Quality management in educational organizations with ISO 21001

Development of quality management in educational organizations

Education providers are facing fierce competition. This does not just apply to organizations in the private sector any more. Organizations in the public sector also need to face up to competitive presures. With its focus on the actual learning needs of a target group, the development of suitable courses and the evaluation of learning outcomes, ISO 21001 is a pioneering standard that provides proof of competence and quality.

At an international level, quality management in the education sector has now gained considerable momentum. The ISO 29990 standard published in 2010 has been withdrawn. The successor standards are two sets of rules with different objectives:

As a management system standard, ISO 21001 is structured in the same way as the quality standard ISO 9001, but with industry-specific content. The standard focuses specifically on the design of educational processes. This applies regardless of the type of educational organization, whether it is a university, a further education provider or an in-house training department.

An educational organization that wants to highlight a specific product, for example, can have this certified in accordance with ISO 29993 without including its own management system. On the other hand, companies with a larger product portfolio will be more concerned about being crisis-resistant and aligning their management system with ISO 21001.

For which educational organizations is ISO 21001 of interest?

All providers benefit equally from special quality management in the education sector. By implementing the requirements of the standard, the quality of educational services is systematically improved, competitiveness is sustainably increased and learners receive transparent learning services. In Germany, there are private providers in all education sectors that can benefit from the new education standard. In principle, this applies to all areas:

• Competitive, non-governmental educational institutions
• Further education institutes
• In-house continuing education departments
• Colleges and universities
• Vocational colleges
• Educational academies of associations and institutions
• Schools, especially independent schools
• Kindergartens

In the future, proof of quality and certificates will be of great importance in the education sector, for example when awarding public subsidies or as part of the EU's efforts to harmonize education systems.

What are the advantages of quality management in educational organizations?

Consistent processes and evaluation tools based on the requirements for an education management system (EOMS) help organizations to demonstrate and increase effectiveness and efficiency and achieve their organizational goals.

An EOMS ...

• leads to more personalized learning and more effective engagement with all learners, for example learners with special educational needs or distance learners,
• broadens the participation of interested parties and improves the motivation and commitment of employees,
• can place greater emphasis on staff involvement and professionalization in quality development,
• improves risk management through sustainable practices,
• saves costs through a more responsible and efficient use of resources.

The educational organization can harmonize regional, national, open and proprietary standards in an international framework, promoting excellence and innovation.

The EOMS is the basis for all necessary strategic decisions and processes, thus ensuring that the needs, requirements and objectives of learners and other beneficiaries are met. At the same time, the interaction between the interested parties and the educational organization is raised to a level that is beneficial for all involved.

Crisis resistance through an integrated education management system

A quality management system that is practised at all levels of an education company proves to be a solid foundation, especially in times of crisis, such as during the coronavirus pandemic. There is a reason for this, as it implies risk-based thinking and action, which is reflected in all processes. This makes an organization far less susceptible to sudden internal or external challenges.

The example of business-related further education providers, as well as universities, shows that with active quality management in the education sector, it is even possible to turn crisis situations into successes:

• By consistently focusing on individual (core) processes, changes can be made flexibly. You are equipped for plan B or C. For example, a try-and-error process can help to quickly find the right way forward.
• Formats are adapted and learners are picked up where they are - for example, digitally in the home office. At the same time, the innovative strength of the organization is strengthened and new developments can be implemented more easily - step by step.

With an EOMS based on ISO 21001, an educational organization make itself significantly more crisis-resistant. An important prerequisite is the willingness of top management to see itself as part of the overall process and to act as a role model.

What are the main differences between ISO 21001 and ISO 9001?

Many educational organizations have had their quality management certified in accordance with ISO 9001. However, the standard - as important as it is for the certification of a management system - often leads to confusion and difficulties in the implementation phase in educational organizations. The international standard uses general terminology that often leads to confusion in educational practice.

With ISO 21001, there is now a standard for the education sector that focuses on the core processes of learning and dealing with learners and teachers. The integrated management approach takes into account the fact that the learner as (end) customer is in the middle of the service process and is constantly influencing and changing it. In contrast to other management system standards, the "human factor" plays a central role here - regardless of whether this refers to a learner, a lecturer, an administrator or an external party.

A key advantage of ISO 21001 is its conformity with other ISO management system standards. Like these, it has the so-called "High Level Structure". The HLS was developed by ISO in 2012 to create a uniform structural standard for all future management system standards that support an integrated management system. The term HLS was replaced by the term "Harmonized Structure" (HS) in 2021.

The standard follows the overarching HS structure, with sections 4 to 10 (context of the organization, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation and improvement) representing the requirements for quality management in education. It therefore applies to all the interrelated or interacting elements of an organization to establish policies and objectives and processes to achieve these objectives.

Risk management in the educational process

For a functional, process-oriented management system, it is necessary to design the operation to the satisfaction of all those involved and to guarantee it in the long term. This includes the consideration of possible risks and opportunities that may arise in the pursuit of the set objectives (chapter 6.1). Fundamental components of a functioning risk management system include, for example

• Identification and assessment of risks and controls
• Documentation of risks in a risk register (or equivalent)
• Implementation of measures and treatments to manage identified risks
• Monitoring risks, including regular review of the strategic plan and risk registers
• Reporting on risks

In a first step, the risk assessment can be carried out according to the two categories

• Impact/scope of the risk and
• Probability of occurrence of the risk

Preventive measures, such as training for those involved, changes to the process flow and the adjustment of personnel responsibilities, can be recorded in a risk assessment, at least for critical and error-prone areas, and reviewed at regular intervals. The risk matrix is a helpful tool for evaluating these processes and keeping an eye on them.

Continuous improvement is the key to success

The increasing importance of sustainable action and the transformation of learning due to digital teaching and learning formats require constant openness to innovation and the ability to react quickly. This also means continuously improving the performance and effectiveness of the EOMS, because change is an integral part of the DNA of continuing education. The duty of care towards learners and other interested parties must therefore undergo a constant process of adaptation and improvement.

Continuous improvement is a constant, long-term approach to improving processes, products and services. Among other things, it involves finding weak points and developing and implementing solutions within the existing processes. The improvement process is gradual and is successful when continuous improvement becomes "business as usual" for all employees.

If the needs of the target groups change, those organizations that are able to adapt their teaching formats, structures and content comprehensively in the shortest possible time will be able to survive on the market. Sudden changes, such as the switch to digital learning formats, can be absorbed if the organization has already created scope for experimentation and innovation in its structure.

Cornerstones of evidence-based improvement

Based on the analyses and idea generation, an evidence-based improvement strategy defines clear steps with measurable goals, tasks and measurements. The improvement plans should provide answers to the following questions:

• How can the challenges identified in the needs analysis be addressed?
• What benchmarks exist that suggest an optimization of the KPIs?
• What indicators and evidence are available to prioritize a specific strategy for improvement?
• What resources are needed to implement the strategy, for example strategically composed teams (by function and expertise), time slots for team meetings, required training, databases, IT support and budget?
• What specifications need to be made with regard to action lines, process responsibility and required competencies?
• How is progress reported (appropriate communication and documentation of milestones)?
   

Why does ISO 21001 certification make sense?

Certification ensures the credibility of an educational organization's management system (EOMS), ensures better alignment of objectives and activities with the quality policy and enables the organization to strengthen its social responsibility by providing inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

Implementing and actively shaping a management system is the real and indispensable achievement of an organization. The independent certification of the quality management system is a recognized proof of competence and quality to the relevant public stakeholders.

DQS has been a recognized and valued assessment and certification partner for educational organizations for many years. Talk to us about how you can actively shape challenges and changes in your industry with the introduction of ISO 21001 and appropriate certification.

Quality management in educational organizations - conclusion

The new ISO 21001 provides a guideline for a common management tool for organizations that offer educational products and services and want to meet the needs and requirements of learners and other interested parties. Target groups (learners and other beneficiaries) with special needs are also taken into account.

Unlike the product-specific standard ISO 29993, ISO 21001 follows the Harmonized Structure (HS), the common basic structure of modern ISO management system standards. The international standard has been on the market since 2018 and has gained an outstanding reputation as a globally recognized sustainable basis for education management. It offers a new perspective for positioning yourself in the education market and joining the international trend.

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