UPSA advances on its Quality Management System journey

By Stephanie Esperida on August 8, 2024

*UP President Angelo Jimenez addresses UP System officials and administrative staff on the first day of the UP Quality Management Forum held in May 2024. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO*

UP System admin advances on its Quality Management System journey

The University of the Philippines System Administration (UPSA) has been advancing towards its goal to institutionalize by 2025 a Quality Management System (QMS) in the University, one that is certified by ISO 9001:2015, the global standard for quality management.

Shortly after the first QMS Forum for UP System administrative employees in May 2024, a series of seminars and workshops took place to survey and map out the level of existing operations within the University, as facilitated by members of the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP). In this segment, lectures and discussions provided an overview on how to continually improve the QMS through the review and enhancement of identified needs and expectations from stakeholders and interested parties. Participants also performed UPSA-level SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis and identified risks and opportunities.

Participants of the QMS Workshop on Process Mapping and Risk-Based Quality Planning on July 17-19, 2024 at the Institute for Small Scale Industries, UP Diliman, Quezon City. Photo by Jonathan Masloc, OVPA

Assistant Vice President for Administration Tiffany Adelaine Tan encourages the participants composed of the QMS core team, key officers, and UPSA employees to build a strong understanding on the knowledge of concepts and principles to achieve the development of a quality management system certifiable to ISO 9001:2015. Photo by Jonathan Masloc, OVPA

These segments also aimed at developing as well as strengthening University processes that are aligned with ISO 9001:2015, so as to ensure consistency in the delivery of quality products and services. Workshops were also utilized as guide on the process of mapping and risk-based quality planning, wherein the UPSA process map and quality policy were developed and drafted. More sessions are listed to take place until December this year. These will take up the next stages of QMS, to include: service process improvement; technical guidance on enhancement of operational controls and procedures; guidelines for auditing; and, QMS implementation, among others.

The series of seminars revealed the UP System administration's serious commitment to fulfill the University's quest of a QMS next year. This commitment to QMS is led by the UP Office of the Vice President for Administration (OVPA), headed by Vice President Augustus Resurreccion, and assisted by Tiffany Adelaine G. Tan, Assistant Vice President for Administration (Organizational Development and Operations) and Management Representative, as well as by UPSA participants from various UP System offices. These QMS endeavors are part of UP's efforts to institutionalize the University's Quality Management System under the 9th Flagship Program being pursued by the UP System administration under President Angelo Jimenez, which aims to ensure operational excellence in the University.