WHAT IS QUALITY?

According to IS0 9000: 2000, quality refers to a set of criteria of an entity (product and service) that fulfills clients’ needs.

WHAT IS MS ISO 9001: 2000?

MS ISO 9001: 2000, is a Quality Management System that must be adhered by the organisation in managing processes of producing products or services for the entitlement of MS ISO 9001 : 2000 certification. This system can be used by any organisation despite of its size and activities such as manufacture, education, finance etc.

WHY SHOULD IT BE IMPLEMENTED?

The implementation of such a system will increase client’s confidence and trust with reference to the competence of an organisation to run main activities such as teaching and learning, research, consultation and community services.

WHAT ARE YOUR REPONSIBILITIES?

Every individual in UTeM is responsible to comply with the quality system according to registered scope of implementation. This means that all procedures must be utilised during the implementation of the main function of an organisation. Records have to be maintained systematically as a proof of the system’s compliance.

Among the benefits to be gained are as follows;To have consisttant processes in an organisation

• To deliver the expected services
• To have citizens which are more focused in their work
• To increase client’s confidence
• To increase quality 

WHAT ARE THE DOCUMENTS THAT NEED TO BE ESTABLISHED FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ISO 9001: 2000 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (QMS)?

ISO 9001: 2000 is a standard which do not require a lot of documention. The year 2000 version stated that an organisation is only required to have one Quality Manual and six procedures that are document control, record control, internal audit, non-compliance control, corrective action and continual improvement action.

Nevertheless, as a government agent, UTeM needs to establish five procedures of management and support. These procedures are management revision, budget, internal audit, training and customer complaint. To ensure uniformity in the implementation of teaching and learning activities, UTeM has developed documents that explain processes categorised as core process of teaching and learning and support process.

WHAT TYPES OF AUDIT DOES UTeM HAS TO UNDERGO PRIOR TO CERTIFICATION?

Generally, there are two types of audit that UTeM has to undergo. First is adequancy audit. This audit is carried out by a certification body to determine that documents needed by the standard are available. Secondly, this audit is to examine whether the required standards has been described in the manual and procedures.

Once documents were accepted, the QMS is implemented. After three months, the auditor will carry out compliance audit. This audit ensures that the procedures are adhered as stated. During this audit, auditors will inspect records as evidence. Records are usually forms that have been completed.

Any discovery of non-compliance to the manual or procedure will be reported for corrective action. After corrections have been accepted by the auditor, then, UTeM will be recommended for certification.

WHAT IS THE APPROACH USED BY UTeM IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF QMS ISO 9001: 2000?

UTeM applies an approach whereby every UTeM citizen is involved. This is implemented with the establishment of Process Ownership Team. The members come from various members of faculties or departments that have worked together to prepare and accept the document as UTeM’s Quality system. This approach helps to accelerate certification.

WHAT IS ACCREDITATION?

As a new university, it is vital for UTeM’s management to initiate efforts for cetification of academic programmes offered from Public Services Department, Ministry of Higher Learning and Engineering Accreditation Council.

With the establishment of Academic Program Acreditation Department at the Centre for Quality Assurance and Accreditation, efforts towards acquiring recognition are now centralise. In addition, the establishment of several committees such as UTeM Accreditation Steering Committee helps to realised the accreditation and recognition.

The centre has organised several workshops and seminars to assist faculties in the process of preparing Accreditation Documents by inviting speakers from the Public Services Department, Ministry of Higher Learning and Board of Engineer. This is to ensure that documents prepared adhere to guidelines by Professional Bodies.

After accreditation documents have been put forward to the Professional Bodies, visit by Quality Assesors were carried out. The purpose of the visit is to assess the efffectiveness on the teaching and learning system that are offered by a faculty prior to accreditation.