The Need for ISO 9001 Certification of Philippine HEIs: A Review

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the advantages of holding an ISO certification by higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines. To achieve this purpose, the author did an extensive review of related literature and studies with the aid of various electronic journals databases including Emerald Publishing, Science Direct, EBSCO Publishing, and Springer. Moreover, the researcher referred to surveys, books, organization testimonies and other articles related to the topic. Due to increase in the number of new colleges and universities, and the continuous expansion of existing HEIs in the country, the competition in private education is tough. Holding certifications from various agencies is used to increase enrolment rate by including this information on the posters, tarpaulins and other advertising media. The study is focused on the benefits of ISO certification to the Philippine HEIs as to operations, financial performance, and customer satisfaction. ISO is a set of standards focused on quality management systems providing guidance to organizations to ensure that customer satisfaction is achieved. This paper presents a review of the benefits of holding an ISO certification which includes (1) new opportunities, (2) customer satisfaction, (3) efficiency and increased productivity, (4) compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements, (5) market expansion, and (6) risk assessment. The relevance of these benefits to Philippine HEIs is analyzed. The findings suggest that HEIs should focus on the implementation of the standards and continuously initiate self-assessment to monitor performance and align processes towards total quality management. The study seeks to have an impact in the education industry by highlighting the need for ISO certification and encourage these HEIs to invest continuously in quality education.