EEC is Awarded ISO 9001 Status!

ISO 9001:2008 Certification 

ISO 9001 is an internationally recognised standard for quality management of any business, including an educational institution. It prescribes systematic control of activities to ensure that the needs and expectations of customers (students) are met. It is designed and intended to apply to virtually any product or service (teaching and learning) anywhere in the world. It demonstrates the existence of an effective quality management system that satisfies the thoroughness of an independent, external audit. 

An ISO 9001 quality management system gives us the framework we need to monitor and improve performance in any area we choose. ISO 9001 is by far the world's most established quality framework, and sets the standard not only for quality management systems, but management systems in general. It helps all kinds of organizations, such as Ekurhuleni East College, to succeed through improved customer satisfaction, staff motivation and continual improvement. 

To be in full compliance with the ISO 9001:2008 standard, the college implemented a comprehensive customer focused ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System, externally audited by the SABS. 

This means that all aspects of the college's operations, including support services, that directly or indirectly relate to education and training are part of the college's QMS, and therefore subject to evaluation and review. The effectiveness of the Quality Management System is monitored through a process of internal auditing, customer feedback and the analysis of that feedback and management reviews. 

Feedback alerts the Quality Office to potential problems. Appropriate and timely revisions are made to correct the deficiency. Areas of nonconformance are addressed by corrective actions and areas of potential nonconformance are addressed by preventive actions. 

The initial audit to get the college's quality management system certified, is called the Registration Audit and the certificate is good for a period of three years providing that the college maintains the system, after which a re-certification audit will be conducted by the registrar. 

Subsequent audits by the registrar, in our case SABS, are referred to as Surveillance Audits. Surveillance Audits are the ongoing periodic review of the college's quality management system, by SABS, our registrar. They generally occur every six months. 

The focus of Surveillance Audits, is to ensure continued compliance with the ISO standard as well as policies and processes. SABS auditors look for evidence that the quality system is being maintained in its entirety and improved and corrected as needed. 

Surveillance Audits supplement the two activities that we conduct internally, to ensure continued conformance to ISO 9001 requirements - Internal Quality Auditing and Management Review. 

The outcome of the Surveillance Audit determines if we continue to hold certification and acts as a vehicle for continuous improvement. 

The successful completion of a Surveillance Audit demonstrates to our customers, that we are capable of maintaining and improving our level of quality.

The pictures below show highlights of the award ceremony. Click on the photos to see enlargements.