Developing a quality management system
This section answers these questions:
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A quality management system (QMS) should be developed as a management tool for the organisation, and not just to satisfy external regulatory bodies. The QMS is the most important document for initial registration and subsequent audits because it describes how the organisation operates.
The QMS is used daily. It needs to accurately reflect the organisational structure, culture and the way education and training is delivered. At audit the organisation should be able to demonstrate that the systems contribute to better learning outcomes for students.
The organisation may choose how it designs the QMS. It should be appropriate to the size, nature, complexity, and - where relevant - to the tikanga and kawa of the organisation. It should cover all relevant aspects of any required standards and legislation.
A starting point for developing a new QMS could be the order of requirements of the standard. Over time, as it is reviewed and the organisation matures, the design may change.
The QMS may be spread across a number of related documents. If the system comprises several documents, they should cross-reference to each other with robust document control systems in place. For example, there may be a charter document, a health and safety manual, a tutor manual, administration manual and so on. Each of these documents may contain various policies and procedures that cover different aspects of the organisation.
Page updated: 07 August 2007