IMPLEMENTATION OF ISO 9001 STANDARD IN INCREASING THE QUALITY OF COLLEGE STUDENTS

 

Steven Johny Runtuwene1, Fitria Claudya Lahinta2, Maya Munaiseche3, Charistia Mengerongkonda4, Jackson Ngosa5, Ridel Rompas6, Ernesto Medau7, Anatasya Lumeta8, Stefanus Angkow9

Politeknik Negeri Manado

steven@polimdo.ac.id1, fclahinta@elektro.polimdo.ac.id2, Maya.ernie2070@gmail.com3, thya582008@gmail.com4, jackngosa458@gmail.com5, ridelrompas09@gmail.com6, ernestomedau25@gmail.com7, tasyalumeta@gmail.com8, tosangkouw912@gmail.com9

 


Abstract:

ISO 9001 is one of the most recognized international standards used in the quality management field of work. The standard provides guidelines for developing, implementing, and maintaining an effective Quality Management system, or QMS, within the organization. This journal will discuss implementing the ISO 9001 standard at Politeknik Negeri Manado and the impact on improving the product, in this case, the quality of college students and their service quality. The purpose of this journal is to see if Politeknik Negeri Manado has reached the ISO 9001 Standard or not. The result examined that implementation of ISO 9001 is very effective in improving the quality of students that the campus produces and that many campuses in Manado should implement this standard in their campus so that the students will be more than capable of handling the work environment rather than just having the knowledge but not being qualified to handle the work.

 

Keywords: Implementation, Standard, Quality

           

Corresponding: Charistia Mengerongkonda

E-mail: thya582008@gmail.com

 

INTRODUCTION

The ISO 9001 Standard, which was initially developed for industrial uses, has been modified for use in the educational sector, notably in educational institutions (Kasperavičiūtė-Černiauskienė & Serafinas, 2018; Fernández-Cruz et al., 2019). ISO 9001 serves as a solid framework for improving educational quality by addressing traditional measures of academic achievement and a broader spectrum of skills and attitudes required of graduates in a dynamic professional landscape (Kuncoro, 2013; Lipnevich et al., 2016). This adaption indicates a paradigm shift in educational institutions' roles, stressing a comprehensive approach to quality management. Colleges want to improve the relevance and competitiveness of their study programs by following ISO 9001 principles, resulting in well-prepared graduates for the needs of the modern workforce (Martin & Thawabieh, 2018).

Evaluating ISO 9001 compliance in the context of Politeknik Negeri Manado entails a full review of the institution's policies, procedures, and continuous improvement systems. This is consistent with ISO 9001's greater goal, which is to provide a continuous commitment to excellence rather than a static certification. The thorough evaluation tries to verify whether the polytechnic has built and maintained a Quality Management System that fulfills the standard's severe standards. A thorough examination of different factors, including curriculum development, faculty training, and student support services, is required for such an analysis. This evaluation process is relevant in presenting educational institutions as quality education centers and the need to maintain current ISO 9001 standards to ensure continued compliance and progress (Hoyle, 2017; Natarajan, 2017).

 

METHOD

The research method used in this journal is qualitative research, which gathers data through other sources and then translates it into a descriptive text.

 

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

ISO 9001 Standard    

As explained in the Introduction part of the journal, the ISO 9001 Standard is a standard that defines the requirements for a Quality Management System in a Company or other organizations such as colleges or high schools. The ISO 9001 Standard sets the criteria for a Quality Management system based on principles that focus on customer satisfaction and process improvement. The objective of ISO 9001 is to help companies or organizations consistently deliver products or services that can meet customer satisfaction while ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in their respective operations (Psomas et al., 2010; Thuo, 2013). Some fundamental principles and requirements are in the ISO 9001 Standard.

The fundamental principles and requirements include:

1)      Customer Focus: The company or organization must understand what the customer or client wants and needs, and they have to reach their expectations. This involves identifying customer requirements, monitoring customer satisfaction, and taking action to address any issues that happen.

2)      Leadership: Management is responsible for quality policy and objectives, ensuring they are well communicated throughout their organization and providing the necessary resources to reach them.

3)      Engagement of People: Employees at all levels should be involved in the quality management system, promoting a culture of continuous improvement and empowerment.

4)      Process Approach: Organizations should systematically define and manage their processes to achieve desired outcomes. This involves identifying key processes, documenting them, and continually monitoring and improving them.

5)      Improvement: ISO 9001 emphasizes the need for continual improvement in processes, products, and the QMS itself. Organizations are expected to use data and performance metrics to drive improvements.

6)      Evidence-Based Decision Making: Decisions should be based on data and analysis to ensure effectiveness and efficiency.

7)      Relationship Management: Organizations should manage relationships with relevant stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, and regulators, to enhance mutual understanding and collaboration.

ISO 9001 applies to organizations of all sizes and industries, and it can be adapted to various types of organizations, including manufacturing, services, healthcare, and education. Certification to ISO 9001 by a recognized certification body demonstrates an organization's commitment to quality and can enhance its reputation in the marketplace. However, the standard is slightly different for educational institutions like colleges than for companies, but pretty close. While ISO 9001 is not specifically tailored to educational institutions like colleges or high schools, some educational organizations have chosen to adapt its principles and requirements to improve their quality management processes and enhance their quality of education.

 

In the context of colleges or high schools, ISO 9001 can be used as a framework for:

1)      Enhance Administrative Processes: Educational institutions can use ISO 9001 to improve administrative processes such as admissions, registration, record-keeping, and financial management. This can lead to increased efficiency and reduced errors.

2)      Curriculum Development: ISO 9001 principles can be applied to curriculum development and delivery. This involves ensuring that educational programs meet the needs and expectations of students, parents, and relevant stakeholders.

3)      Continuous Improvement: ISO 9001 encourages a culture of continuous improvement. Educational institutions can use this mindset to continually assess and improve teaching methods, student performance, and overall educational outcomes.

4)      Student Satisfaction: ISO 9001 principles can help institutions focus on student satisfaction and engagement. Feedback mechanisms can be established to gather input from students and parents, which can be used to improve.

5)      Resource Management: ISO 9001 requires effective resource management. Educational institutions can use this standard aspect to optimize the allocation of resources, such as faculty, staff, facilities, and technology, to support the learning process.

6)      Quality Assurance: ISO 9001 can be used as a tool for quality assurance and accountability. Educational institutions can establish clear quality objectives and metrics to ensure they meet their educational goals.

It is important to note that while ISO 9001 can be adapted for educational institutions, it is not a requirement for them. Certification to ISO 9001 is typically voluntary and depends on the goals and priorities of the institution.

The Benefits of ISO 9001

There are many benefits that we can get from implementing ISO 9001 in an organization.

Here are some of the benefits that you get from implementing ISO 9001 (Bumi, 2018):

·         Focus on the end product of the plan.

·         Flexibility for documented information.

·         Increasing risk control.

·         Better control towards better results.

·         Increasing satisfaction and building trust with the customer.

·         Increasing opportunities to enter global markets.

·         Greater credibility.

·         Increasing employee morale through a good and consistent work system.

These are just some of the benefits we can get from ISO 9001.

The Implementation of ISO 9001 in Politeknik Negeri Manado

There are several ways that Politeknik Negeri Manado has implemented ISO 9001 on its campus, which are:

PBM (Proses Belajar Mengajar)

PBM is a study method that is directed at students. It is a study method that uses problems, and the students must use the information given to them to solve the problem they are dealing with.

Politeknik Negeri Manado has implemented this study method so that its students can think critically and solve problems they give them efficiently.

Student Exchange

Student exchange is a program that college students can take. It allows students to go overseas or to other parts of the country to get a new experience from a different field where they are used. Politeknik Negeri Manado also has this program; some capable students have gone overseas to study. For example, Gisell Tommy went to Woosong University in Daejeon, Korea.

An achievement that Politeknik Negeri Manado Reached by Implementing ISO 9001

There are many achievements that Politeknik Negeri Manado students have achieved with the help of ISO 9001 Implementation, such as:

·         Yusman Saputra Handika Mokousi and Josua Lumintang participated in the contest. Mokousi participated in a makeup room with experience. In contrast, Josua participated in making bed and towel art at Bandung State Polytechnic, and both of them got 1st place in the contest out of 471 contestants, and some of the contestants were from overseas China, Mexico, Egypt, and Germany.

·         Five college students from an electrical engineering major study program in computer engineering made a system that warns nearby villagers if a flood is about to happen. The system is called DEWS (Disaster Early Warning System).

The five college students who made this system are Gentri Nehemia Pasaribu, Anjelike Mendome, Juan S Methusala, Musdalifa Amir, and Putri Rorimpandey. With guidance from the Secretary of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Marson James Budiman (Hari, 2023).

 

CONCLUSION

From the information in this journal, we conclude that Politeknik Negeri Manado has successfully implemented ISO 9001 on its campus. They have even made many accomplishments in teaching their students to think critically when presented with a problem. Students who have graduated from Politeknik Negeri Manado have been proven capable in the work industry and are being invited to join many companies, in conclusion, the implementation of ISO 9001 is very effective in improving the quality of students that the campus produces, and many campuses in Manado should implement this standard in their campus so that the students will be more than capable to handle the work environment rather than just having the knowledge but not being capable to handle the work.

 

REFERENCES

Bumi, P. S. (2018). Awareness Training & Workshop Quality Management System ISO 9001 : 2015 Universitas Islam Negeri Sulthan Thaha Saifuddin Jambi.

Fernández-Cruz, F. J., Rodríguez-Mantilla, J. M., & Fernández-Díaz, M. J. (2019). Assessing the impact of ISO: 9001 implementation on school teaching and learning processes. Quality Assurance in Education, 27(3), 285–303.

Hari, A. (2023). Juara 1 Kompetisi Pariwisata Indonesia, 2 Mahasiswa Polimdo Singkirkan 471 Peserta. https://barta1.com/v2/2023/05/10/juara-1-kompetisi-pariwisata-indonesia-2-mahasiswa-polimdo-singkirkan-471-peserta/

Hoyle, D. (2017). ISO 9000 Quality Systems Handbook-updated for the ISO 9001: 2015 standard: Increasing the Quality of an Organization’s Outputs. Routledge.

Kasperavičiūtė-Černiauskienė, R., & Serafinas, D. (2018). The adoption of ISO 9001 standard within higher education institutions in Lithuania: innovation diffusion approach. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 29(1–2), 74–93.

Kuncoro, A. (2013). Employing quality management principles to improve the performance of educational systems: An empirical study of the effect of ISO 9001 standard on teachers and administrators performance in the Indonesian vocational education system.

Lipnevich, A. A., Gjicali, K., & Krumm, S. (2016). Understanding Attitudes in Education: New Directions for Assessment. Non-Cognitive Skills and Factors in Educational Attainment, 111–127.

Martin, A., & Thawabieh, F. A. (2018). The effect of ISO 9001 to Oman higher education operational performance: Buraimi university college as a case study. International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, 13(6), 3939–3947.

Natarajan, D. (2017). ISO 9001 Quality management systems. Springer.

Psomas, E. L., Fotopoulos, C. V, & Kafetzopoulos, D. P. (2010). Critical factors for effective implementation of ISO 9001 in SME service companies. Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, 20(5), 440–457.

Thuo, C. M. (2013). Adoption of ISO 9001 quality management standard and operational performance of service organizations in Kenya. University of Nairobi.

 

 

© 2023 by the authors. It was submitted for possible open-access publication under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY SA) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).