SPECIAL REPORT

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A NEWSLETTER BY THECOURIER

SPECIAL REPORT

ISO CERTIFIED: It’s All in the Name

BY: EUNICE MARSHA M. ALORRO & LAURENCE CRYSTAL V. DY

AS NORTHWEST Samar State University (NwSSU) firmly stands with its vision to provide quality education and services to its clientele, NwSSU underwent its first ISO Recertification of its Quality Management System by SOCOTEC Certification Philippines Inc. on February 4, 2022, via Zoom.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an organization responsible for publishing standards for various industries and universities. Fundamentally, this certification affirms an emphasis on the performance of the institution as a whole. In an interview by THECOURIER, two university key officials explained the university’s ISO journey and its impact to the school’s operation especially in delivering services to the students.

Dr. Rodolfo Dollado, quality assurance director, mentioned that the ISO Certification was initially only for organizations until former President Gloria Arroyo signed Executive Order No. 605, s. 2007, which states that State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) are likewise enjoined to establish ISO Quality Management Systems (ISOQMS) and be certified accordingly.

“ISO certified organizations are confident that they are catering quality service to their clientele,” said Dr. Dollado explaining the rationale of having ISO certification for organization.

It was on March 30, 2019 when the university first acquired its ISO 9001:2015 certificate. The certificate is valid for three years and is set to expire on March 29, 2022.

QUALITY SERVICE

Ms. Florabel Canaman, member of the university’s Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) team, explained that NwSSU’s successful ISO 9001:2015 certification in 2019 paved the way for the streamlining and standardization of processes as well as efficient and effective delivery of services to its clientele; primarily the students.

“So kung dati diba yung estudyante pabalik-balik sa proseso, papunta dito, papunta doon. With the different things we did towards this certification, mas na-streamline, na-simplify yung processes,” said Canaman.

“With ISO, mastandardize na lahat yan,” Dr. Dollado added, explaining that the standardization of processes covers all the departments of the university.

RECERTIFICATION

This 2022, NwSSU underwent its first ISO 9001:2015 Recertification to confirm the continued conformity and effectiveness of the management, three years after the University was initially certified last 2019.

Although the university has undergone the same process before, the process was not without the challenges encountered as the team looks forward to the continual improvement of the university’s services.

“There is higher expectation on how the university conforms with the criteria, ensuring that the quality management system is implemented, considering that we have went through about two surveillances after we were certified,” said Canaman.

When asked about the problems they encountered during the preparation for the recertification, Canaman responded: “I would not say problems but perhaps challenges in terms of preparation, challenges on things we identified internally as to what needs to be improved and how we would implement it, considering the limited sources that we have.”

ISO CERTIFIED UNIVERSITY

“I think it’s something that the students should be proud of. Say he or she is enrolled in an ISO Certified university. If a particular university is ISO certified, then you are confident enough that the university that you are in, really provides better services for the students,” said Dr. Dollado.

Dr. Dollado also emphasized that the success of this endeavor is for the students as primary clientele, saying it adds value to the students and to the university in general.

NwSSU virtual ISO Audit

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Students Affairs and Services, University Registrar’s Office and Admission, Research and Extension, Supply and Property Office, Procurement Office, Human Resource Management Office, Records Office, Library Services, and University Motorpool.

Selected academic units and programs were also included in the audit, namely College of Management (BS in Tourism Management), College of Computing and Information Sciences (BS in Computer Science, BS in Information System), and Graduate School (Master in Public Management).

A separate simultaneous audit was also conducted for San Jorge Campus wherein San Jorge Campus Academic Unit (Bachelor of Technology and Livelihood Education), San Jorge Campus Registrar’s Office, and Campus Guidance and Testing Center were included in the audit process.