ISO 21001:2018 specifies the requirements for a management system for educational organisations (EMS) when such an organisation:
(a) shall demonstrate its ability to support the acquisition and development of competence through teaching, learning or research,
(b) aims to enhance the satisfaction of learners, other beneficiaries and staff through the effective implementation of its QMS, including processes for improving the system and ensuring compliance with the requirements of learners and other beneficiaries.
All requirements of ISO 21001:2018 are generic and are intended to apply to any organization that uses a curriculum to support capacity building through teaching, learning or research, regardless of the type, size or method of delivery.
ISO 21001:2018 may be applicable to educational organizations within larger organizations whose core activity is not education, such as vocational training departments.
ISO 21001:2018 shall not apply to organisations that produce or manufacture only educational products
The Educational Organisation Management System (EMS) is a stand-alone management system standard aligned with ISO 9001:2015. It focuses on the management systems of educational organisations and their impact on learners and other stakeholders. The requirements of the standard can be applied alongside regional, national, open, proprietary and other standards or related documents.
ISO 21001:2018 focuses on the specific interaction between a training organization, the learner, clients and other stakeholders. It specifies requirements for a Training Organisation Management System (TMS) when such an organisation:
- Must demonstrate its ability to consistently provide, share and facilitate knowledge building while complying with applicable legislation and regulatory requirements
- Aims to enhance the satisfaction of learners, other clients and staff through its effective implementation of its (SSEO), including processes for system improvement
There is a critical and ongoing need for training organisations to assess the extent to which they are meeting the requirements of learners and other customers in order to improve their ability to continue to do so.
Current training processes are increasingly focused on co-creation, where the traditional client-supplier relationship is evolving into a collaborative partnership. This template will provide guidance on how to deliver quality in this new challenging environment.
Education differs from many other sectors in that a successful educational process maximises the likelihood of student success, although it cannot guarantee this outcome. The effort and competence of both the learner and the educational organisation are crucial variables for the success of the educational process. Learning involves the internalisation of knowledge, methods and skills. The learning organisation stimulates this internalisation and provides the context, inputs, processes and learning resources for it to take place. However, it is the effort and competence of the learner that ultimately determines the success of the educational process.
ISO 21001:2018 can provide a common management tool for all organizations providing educational products and services capable of meeting the needs and requirements of learners and other customers.
The certification of an organisation according to the requirements of ISO 21001:2018
ISO 21001:2018 can be seen as an upgraded approach to the DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 standard, with greater depth in the service context in terms of relevance, accessibility, equity, inclusiveness towards the specific educational needs of all learners without exception. In addition, this standard could work in parallel with ISO 29993:2017, which specifies the requirements for the provision of non-formal learning services, combining with them the high level structure approach.
TÜV NORD Greece is a reliable and internationally recognised inspection and certification body. The inspectors have specialist knowledge of the subject based on extensive training and long experience and will effectively support you in your certification process, providing objective information throughout the assessment process. We guarantee you services with impartiality, objectivity and reliability. Also, thanks to our global network, we can offer you our inspection and certification services worldwide.
ISO 21001:2018 contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals 4, 10, 11
4. Quality Education: ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
4. Quality education: ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
ISO 21001:2018 specifies the requirements for a management system for educational organisations (EMS) in order for such an organisation to demonstrate its ability to support the acquisition and development of competencies through teaching, learning or research, while aiming to enhance the satisfaction of learners, other beneficiaries and staff through the effective implementation of the management system for educational organisations (EMS), including processes to improve the quality of education and training.
10.Reduce inequality within and among countries
10.Reduce inequalities within and between countries
The basic philosophy of the management system for an educational organization according to ISO 21001:2018 is to recognize and coordinate (through appropriate and targeted design of educational materials, methodology, media, facilitators, infrastructure, accessibility) support & meet the specific educational needs of all learners, regardless of physical or remote learning service delivery.
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, secure, resilient and sustainable
The 21001:2018 standard, by promoting principles of social responsibility, accessibility & equity and ethical behaviour, helps to gradually create a grid of awareness on issues of sustainability, continuity, adequacy at a global level. In the context of the need for continued livelihoods and shielding of future generations, efforts are being made to place more emphasis on issues of inclusion, equity, ensuring accessibility and safety, as socially and geographically broad as possible.
Who can benefit from ISO 21001:2018?
Although learners and educational organisations worldwide are the main beneficiaries of this new management system standard, all stakeholders (i.e. the whole of society) will benefit from the results of standardised management systems in educational organisations.
The educational organisations that will benefit from the standard include pre-schools, primary, secondary and high schools, colleges, universities, adult education organisations, special education schools, vocational education and training institutions, vocational education and training institutions, tutorial or guidance centres, training organisations, education/training departments, consultants, and non-formal education service providers. This applies irrespective of the source of funding, which may be public (subsidised), private (commercial), self-financing (internally generated revenue) or non-profit (sponsored).
What about monitoring and measuring the management system of an educational organisation?
Monitoring and measuring the management system of an educational organisation is also part of the certification. During the inspection, the educational organization must demonstrate that it measures, analyzes and communicates its performance and the effectiveness of its management system. It should therefore document that it has established, implemented and maintains a process for monitoring, measuring, analysing and evaluating performance so that the management of the organisation can assess the effectiveness of the system on a regular basis and that it has a complete overview of the performance of the management system at all times.
What should be taken into account with regard to certificates in the context of recertification or surveillance?
When the inspection process is completed, a certificate is issued in accordance with ISO 21001:2018, which is valid for three years. In the recertification phase, the validity period starts directly from the expiry of the previous certificate. This means that the expiry date of the new certificate corresponds to the normal three-year period (expiry date of the old certificate plus three years) if the process is carried out within the specified deadline or if the inspection and management of PM (non-conformities) are completed according to the schedule. Two annual surveillance inspections are foreseen during the three-year period.
If a revision of the certificate is required in one of these inspections, the date of issue of the revision shall be differentiated, but the original three-year validity shall be maintained.
How does ISO 21001:2018 relate to ISO 29993:2017?
Both ISO 21001:2018 and ISO 29993:2017 are standards created specifically for educational organizations and thus complement the range of different approaches to implementing standards in the education sector. This allows organisations providing education and training to choose between different standards.
The key requirements relating to management commitment, training needs analysis, identification and achievement of training objectives, the design, evaluation and continuous updating and upgrading of training materials, detailed information on content and methodology of learning provision, competence and continuous training of trainers, adequacy of infrastructure and resources to meet training needs and accessibility, consideration of specific trainee characteristics, both in terms of teaching and learning styles, and in terms of the quality of the training provided.
However, ISO 21001:2018 follows a "high level structure" and sets out the requirements for a management system for an educational organisation. These include issues of operational framework, stakeholders, policy of the educational organisation, risk and opportunity analysis, change management as well as internal audit and management review parameters in the context of continuous improvement of the educational organisation's system.
All those employed by the company will have to take on more responsibility. How can this work?
One of the prerequisites for certification is the awareness of management and staff on the requirements of the standard and related training of those involved , which is achieved through specific training. Understanding the importance and application of the service learning requirements outside formal education ensures greater employee engagement with the subject of service learning and with the organisation as a whole.
How recognised is the certificate - and for how long is it valid?
ISO 21001:2018 is an international standard and is therefore recognised globally. The certificate is issued with a three-year validity - with annual surveillance audits.