UC is now ISO 9001:2008 Certified: First among private HEIs in CAR

October 02, 2014

The Cologne, Germany-based TÜV Rheinland Cert GmbH (DAkkS Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle) has certified the University of the Cordilleras (UC) to be compliant to international standards in the "provision of Basic, Higher Education and Related Support Services." Accordingly, Certificate 01 100 1432570 was handed over to UC on August 27, 2014, entitled "Certificate: International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2008;" which is "valid from 2014 until 2017." The Certificate stated that "an audit was performed," and "proof has been furnished that the requirements according to ISO 9001:2008 are fulfilled."

TÜV Rheinland has been registered in Europe for more than 140 years, as an internationally recognized expert in five continents, in the field of testing, inspection, certification, quality assurance and education.

Six (6) sets of mandatory documents were submitted by UC, preceding the formal institutional audit, which was conducted in two (2) stages by a team representing the global pioneering certification body. TÜV Rheinland Philippines Inc., executed the corresponding visitations on February 14-15, 2014 and April 14-15, 2014; consisting of verification of the management system documentation and workflows of UC; and whether these comply with standard requirements; a review of the organization's business activities; a review of UC's compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and UC's compliance with other requirements set forth in other universally applicable documents. The team's itinerary included site visitations and across-the-board interviews with key personnel throughout the university.

In an exit meeting, TÜV Rheinland issued a culminating report (Report No. 1432570) confirming that "the organization's (UC's) management system complies with, adequately maintains and implements the requirements of the standard(s)." Furthermore, the TÜV Rheinland team, in handing over the ISO 9001:2008 Certificate to UC President Dr. Ramon C. Cercado; duly noted that the certification, is a testament to UC's capability to deliver significant educational services; to UC's track record in the continuous upgrading of its core operational processes; to UC's commitment to meet and exceed customer needs; and to UC's consistent compliance to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

TÜV Rheinland commended UC's openness to external scrutiny and evaluation; and accepted UC's invitation to a further partnership on the common journey towards quality educational service. This continuing involvement in implementation and compliance, TÜV Rheinland would sustain through its yearly verification visits during the three-year validity period of the certification.

The journey towards an institutional quality management system (QMS) emanated from the school's decision to subject UC to standards of internationally recognized accreditation bodies, by way of the approval of the university's Board of Trustees to have UC undergo the rigid certification with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

In April 2011, the university engaged the services of a qualified consultant to assist in the university-wide effort of putting in place the mandatory requirements of ISO 9001:2008, a generic version of international standardization.

Subsequently UC established an institutional Office of Quality Assurance (OQA) which functioned as the central hub to gear up all university units for the QMS processes up and down the line of the entire university community.

The OQA organized a series of institution-wide awareness seminars, trainings and consultations with the various sectors of the university to ensure that office operations are duly documented and compliant to the established standards. The office also conducted a series of internal audits in the university's business units utilizing trained Internal Auditors (IAs) to ensure that non-conformities in the system were duly and promptly addressed.

The OQA then issued periodic reports to top management on the progress of the QMS implementation through scheduled management review meetings. This was meant to institute prompt action on all major areas of concern that would affect the university's capabilities in managing the quality aspect in its operations control system.

Once the mandatory requirements were in place, the University proceeded to duly invite TÜV Rheinland to conduct the required certification stages. TÜV Rheinland has audited and certified the most number of higher educational institutions in the country.

The chronology of events leading to the ISO certification reflected the UC spirit where elements of the university community worked in solidarity and unison to substantiate and uphold the mandate of UC's Founders, to bring the school's resources and systems to bear on UC's enduring mission.

Thus, to this end, the recent ISO 9001:2008 Certification, now stands alongside UC's exceptional attainments such as it's "Autonomous Status"; it's title-assessment as "A Teaching University" under IQuAME; it's multiple-degree program conferment in three (3) "Centers of Excellence;" and it's across-the-board, multi-disciplinary, course degree Accreditation levels by authoritative professional accreditation entities; --- all in pursuit of UC's pledge for an unremitting, relentless upgrading of its core institutional areas.

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