ISO 21001 Certification
In the UK, ISO 21001 is gaining recognition as a way for schools, colleges, training providers, and other educational institutions to demonstrate their commitment to quality management in education. ISO 21001 is a quality management system that aims to standardise education management to ensure it meets learners’ needs. Hence, it is sort of related to the ISO 9001 quality Management standard. The key difference is that ISO 21001 is laser focused on supporting educational organizations in establishing and implementing an EOMS.
Educational organizations are increasingly working towards becoming ISO 21001 compliant. We provide ISO 21001 audits for orgnizations that want to get their Management System for Educational Organizations (EOMS) certified. Private schools and private universities are currently the main benefactors of the ISO 21001 certification. This is due to the regulatory pressure to get privately operated Colleges, Universities as well as K-12 Schools to increase their level of governance. This creates a higher intensity for school leadership as they are accountable based on independent audits by accredited certification bodies.
ISO 21001 Certification Areas
The ISO 21000 Standard is not just for private Colleges and Universities. Its different sections and recommendations help pre-schools, public primary schools and even Vocational Education Centers introduce an educational management system. Operators of private educational facilities confirm that with an EOMS they are seeing substantial improvements in their organization’s effectiveness and profitability.
Parents and education authorities expect greater accountability. The quality of education has an important impact on the pupil’s future.
Private Colleges in many European countries are in competition with private Universities in USA and Asia.
Private Universities attract an international croud of talented students. The competition for the best in becoming tougher.
What is ISO 21001 Certification?
An ISO 21001 Certification examines and validates a Educational Organization Management System (EOMS). The ISO 21001 standard provides a framework for establishing flexible, transparent and inclusive classrooms.Students in any part of an educational insitution needs personalized learning as they have different learning ability and challenges. Therefor, an EOMS should guide an organization to provide personalized learning that meets the particular needs and requirements of the individual learner. Implementing best practices allows educational operators to improve the quality of education. Thereby, providing the necessary training to the teachers. It is importnat that their teaching staff are properly trained and abide to the ethical principals of their employeer.
Educational organizations with an ISO 21001 certification display a different approach to education. They follow a learner-centric approach. They are commited to actively engaging learners in their own learning. Hence, ISO 21001 allows educational institutions to provide high-quality services. Their ability to provide more equitable and accessible education makes them an attractive place of learning. The media and society are increasingly recognizing that its most talented people in business, entertainment and science often display some kind of learning disadvantage they turned into a advantage. Unfortunately, not every student with special needs is so lucky. That is why ISO 21001 recognizes the need to provide personalized learning for learners with special needs and distance learners.
Which Educational Organizations can apply for ISO 21001 Certification?
Any educational organization can apply for ISO 21001 certification. Private and publicly funded organization of all size, nature, and location can gain an ISO 21001 certificate. The educational organization can be located anywhere in the world, as our aduitors will be able to inspect their EOMS on site in the local language (e.g., German, Polish, Dutch, Turkish, Spanish) or in English. The following list of educational organizations shows that a wide range of bodies can work towards an ISO 21001 certification of their Educational Organization Management System (EOMS):
- Pre-schools
- Colleges
- Adult Education Centers
- Vocational Education Centers
- Tutoring or Coaching Centers
- Training Institutes
- Special Education Schools
- Universities
- K-12 Schools
Why is there a need for ISO 21001 Certification?
Education has a vital influence on a child’s life as an adult. A lack of attention or low quality teaching often leads to terrible consequences for society. That is why it is so crucial to make an extra effort, to provide the best possible education for the next generation. The education sector has been regularly depicted as detached from reality and performing poorly. That is why so many parents want their kids to attend high quality school and universities. It is the parents investment in their child’s future. ISO 21001 was brought to the education sector in order to empower the schools and universities to upgrade their quality and effectiveness. ISO 21001 Certification helps organizations improve their performance. It provides appropriate procedures and controls to manage the various challenges related to an educational institution.
The following educational challenges are are hurting society:
- According to UNESCO 263 million children are out of school.
- Over 155 countries legally guarantee free education
- The global literacy rate is still 86.3%.
- Only 6 children out of 10 complete secondary school.
- Around 102 million youth lack basic literacy skills.
Principles of ISO 21001 Certification
The benefits of an EOMS help schools and universities outperform their peers. Other types of organizations are also benefiting from the introduction of an Educational Organization Management System (EOMS). The key principles of ISO 21001 expect educational institutions to use the curriculum to impart knowledge.
ISO 21001 Certification for Educational Organization Management System (EOMS) is designed on 11 principles:
- Focus on learners and other beneficiaries: promote student-centered learning while addressing the needs and requirements of individual learners.
- Visionary leadership: engage all learners while defining competence standards for all staff. True commitment to the mission, vision, and objectives of the organization.
- Engagement of people: provide training and develop competence. All the people involved are to be empowered, competent, and engaged in delivering values.
- Process approach: establish a coherent system to achieve consistent and predictable results. Reviews processes regularly. Adopt efficient and effective processes to improve the the organization’s efficiency.
- Improvement: continual improvement is necessary to sustain growth and eliminate factors that cause unintended outcomes.
- Evidence-based decisions: Decisions are based on analysis and evaluation. Only an informed decision (based on information and data) will achieve the intended outcomes.
- Relationship Management: an organization must maintain a relationship with customers, stakeholders, and other beneficiaries to sustain growth.
- Social Responsibility: ensure long-term success and sustainable growth based on an organization’s socially responsible behaviour.
- Accessibility and Equity: make education accessible and equitable for all, including differently-abled and distance learners.
- Ethical conduct in education: The ethical code of conduct guides educational organizations. Organizations must eliminate incidents of conflicts of interest.
- Data Security and Protection: An effective data security system protects the data of interested parties and learners. Open communication fosters trust and provides a safe learning environment.
What is required for ISO 21001 certification?
The ISO 21001 certification consists of 10 sections that utilize the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. Three sections are introductory in nature. The other 7 sections explain the mandatory requirements of the Educational Organization Management System (EOMS):
- Context of the organization
- Leadership
- Planning
- Support
- Operation
- Performance Evaluation
- Improvement
How much will the audit and ISO 21001 certification cost?
The cost of an ISO 21001 certification process is dependent on the size and risk profile of the organisation. The ISOorganization provides an average number of audit days for an organisation of average risk and certain number of included staff. Our audit estimators evaluate the to be expected audit time in relation to company specific parameters. Some factors allow for a reduction of audit duration and thereby positively reducing the audit costs.
Where risks require additional depth of audit activities, the audit plan will have to allocate extra time for it. This increases the audit time and the audit related costs. In addition if auditors have to travel to the client’s operational locations, the client organisation will incur additional travel expenses. The ISO standard allows for up to 30% of the audit to be conducted as remote audit. If the company structure (home office) or the situation (e.g. pandemic) required a 100% remote audit, the certification body is required to gain consent from the respective accreditation body. Remote audits avoid travel costs and are usually ideal for “virtual organisations” (e.g. 100% home office based teams).
Above table is based on the ISO 21030 Standard document (Table).
| Number of persons doing work under the organization’s control | EOMS audit time for initial audit (auditor days) |
|---|---|
| 1~10 | 5 |
| 11~15 | 6 |
| 16~25 | 7 |
| 26~45 | 8,5 |
| 46~65 | 10 |
Why is ISO 21001 important for private schools and colleges in the UK?
With the gradual reforms and inovation in eduction sector, Society and governements are increasingly Aware of the needs to customize education. No pupil is identical in strengths, weaknesses and uniqwue talents. Every child needs a method of tutoring that Delivers a positive contribution to socienty and local communities.
We all know the stories of sucessful Entrepreneurs, who suffered through school and sometimes droped out of school at a young age. Those pupils had a talent they gradually turned into profitable businesses which contributed not only a large amount of Jobs but also to Britains entreprenurial Branding. Had the education System been less rigid and moated, then those pupils would have finished School without all that anxiety and at the same time Maybe even creating even more Jobs. Hence, education has a Long term Impact on the British economy and social wellbeing.
This is why focus on Learning Needs is part of ISO 21001: The standard emphasizes the interaction between the educational organization, the learner, and other relevant Stakeholders. The success facors are no longer grades or discipline, but focusing on the specific needs of the learner. By enhancing their learning experience, they go on to help grow the economy.
Benefits of ISO 21001 in the UK:
ISO 21001 certification in the UK provides a framework for educational organizations to enhance their quality management systems, ultimately leading to improved learning experiences and outcomes for students. Following key benefits advance education in the UK:
- Improved Educational Quality:
ISO 21001 helps organizations deliver more effective and efficient educational services by aligning their objectives and activities with their mission and vision, leading to better learning outcomes. - Enhanced Learner Satisfaction:
By focusing on the specific needs of learners, it can lead to more personalized and relevant learning experiences. - Increased Credibility:
Achieving ISO 21001 certification demonstrates a commitment to quality management and can boost an organization’s reputation. - Process Improvement:
ISO 21001 provides a framework for continuous improvement, helping organizations identify and address any gaps in their educational delivery. - Alignment with International Standards:
ISO 21001 helps harmonize educational standards within an international framework.
ISO 21001 Certification in the UK
The UK Government and a range of educational stakeholders are increasingly motivating private schools, colleges and universities to adnve their governance by adopting ISO 21001. Only an accredited ISO 21001 certification audit will be an internationally accepted proof of ISO 21001 adoption.
ISO 21001 Certification in England
Operators of schools and colleges in england can become ISO 21001 certified. Our auditors will inspect the documents on site and where appropriate also via remote audit. This keeps costs for smaller educational facilities low while maintaining a high standard of quality and reliability. As schools, colleges, universities and even language schools are a very different business model, they all do benefit from getting their EOMS audited.
ISO 21001 Certification in Scotland
Scotland has some of the finest private primary and secondary schools to offer. Hence, Scottish education can keep up with the south. Whether the school is based in Edinburgh, Perth, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Perthshire, Fife, or other parts of Scotland, an EOMS will always help level up the quality of education. This is where no community should be left out from getting their private or public educational insitutions audited according to ISO 21001.
ISO 21001 Certification in Wales
Wales is known for its mining communities and coastal villages. Nevertheless, there is no reason to let everyone else move forward with boosting their education system and local economy. People tend to hold back, because they believe that ISO 21001 certification will not make much difference as the schools in England and Scotland might appear to be unbeatable. The Welsh Dragon wouldn’t hold back while others grab hold of opportunity. Certification can be affordable and managable. An EOMS must be customized to the institution and its pupils needs to be successful.
ISO 21001 Certification in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is famous for more than just conflict and bloodshed. Many great scholars, poets, inventors and war heros originated from Northern Ireland. Education is an important aspect of catching up after years of fear and segregation. Northern Ireland’s pupils deserve an education that gives them a fair chance to suceeed in a complex and rapidly evolving global economy.
FAQ for ISO 21001 Certification
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