Egerton University has embarked on a mission of implementing the ISO standards after a hiatus that saw service delivery deteriorate in key directorates and departments in the University. Top management members of the university were taken through a briefing session for the ISO 9001: 2015, to ensure its smooth implementation.
Led by National Quality Institute NQI – Kenya Bureau of Standard (KEBS) facilitator Mr Charles Maru; Prof Paul Makenzi, Coordinated ISO Secretariat of Egerton University towards the ISO 9001 QMS Top Management briefing which went on smoothly. The Training focused on reviewing past successes achieved through the implementation of ISO standards and charting a course for future improvements.
National Quality Institute NQI – Kenya Bureau of Standard (KEBS) facilitator Mr Charles Maru facilitator making a presentationon on ISO 9001: 2015 to the top management at Utafiti Centre , Egerton University on May 16, 2024. (Photo: Kurian Musa/ Egerton University)
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, Research, and Extension, Prof. Bernard Aduda, delivered the opening remarks, setting the tone for the session. Prof. Aduda emphasized the importance of standardization in addressing systemic issues within the university while encouraging top management to seize the opportunity to elevate Egerton University to a world-class institution.
Present during the training were; Ag. Director Research and Extension Prof. Mungai Nancy, the Academic Affairs Registrar Prof. Mwanarusi Saidi, Director International Linkages Prof. Charles Merimba among others.
The International Organisation for Standards has set the standards to equalize the service provision to customers’ needs and expectations.
Monitoring and measuring the levels of customer satisfaction is key in the implementation of the standards, the participants were told. “It is not a must that you receive complaints, your customers may not complain to you directly, but given an opportunity to express the customer perceptions, the appropriate feedback comes to aid improvement on products and services,” said the trainer.
It emerged in a hot discussion that students are not university products but customers who need to be served well. “They pay for the services the university offers and as such they are customers. Despite that they get the degrees, diplomas and certifications from the University, they remain customers,” it was explained.
Leadership is a key element that was discussed that need to be encouraged to be transformative, top to the lowest cadres. “Leaders at all levels need to be positive examples, and provide people with right resources, train them where they lack skills, give them authority and remain accountable for every action. This will enhance positive change,” it was elaborated.
The top management was taken through the concept of; involvement and engagement of people. This ensures that all staff members take part in finding solutions by offering ideas. However, the essence of rules and regulations, policies were emphasized in the context that they need to be streamlined to promote team work.
Actions to enhance are; communication with employees, their individual contribution and recognition of their performance. Promotion of of collaboration throughout the organization, Open dicussions to be fostered, empowerment of employees to undertake self-evaluation of their performance to take improvement measures.
Another principle, the participants were taken through is that of process approach. Processes cut across departments, and this process approach helps to break silos in the institution. This is by identifying the relationships and strengthening them towards having better synergies in service delivery. A process may be an input for another process; hence teamwork is key.
One of the participants wanted to know how to handle processes that have external influence. For example, the procurement process, has supplies and vendors. However, part 8, of the ISO standard university is in the process to implement addresses this by suggesting that an organization need to put up necessary controls. The process approach entails; source of inputs, inputs, activities, outputs, receivers of outputs.
Improvement is another key principle. Successful organizations have a going focus on improvement. What is this that the university is focused on improving? Is it infrastructure, learning material, hostels, water, as examples. In essence, the organization can set objectives of improvement at all levels, educating and training employees on basic tools, and methodologies to achieve improvement objectives. Deploy processes to implement improvement.
The significance of evidence-based decision making was highlighted. Decisions need to be based on data collected and analysed. Leaders are also encouraged to make decisions based on analysed data balanced with experience and intuition.
For sustained success, organizations manage their relationships with interested parties. This is by doing a stakeholder analysis and establishment of short-term, medium term and long-term considerations on gains. Sharre information and expertise with relevant interested parties. Measure performance and provide performance feedback with relevant interested parties as appropriate. Establish collaborative development and improvement activities with partners and suppliers.
The KEBS team of experts will also train select University staff as lead implementors of the standards across the University Campuses, Institutes, faculties, Directorates, departments and sections.
Among the distinguished attendees were: Director of Research and Extension Prof. Mungai Nancy, Academic Affairs Registrar Prof. Mwanarusi Saidi, Prof. Charles Merimba, Director of International Linkages, and other senior university officials. Also present were key stakeholders such as University Finance Officer CPA Wanjohi, University Medical Superintendent Dr. Njoki, Ag. Head of Human Capital Administration Ms. Maureen Ngala, Dean of Students Dr. Japheth Muthamia, and Dr. Patricia Wambugu, the Director of Quality Assurance, among others.
Other senior university officers present were; Dean of Faculty of Education and Community studies Dr. Flora Fedha, Dean Faculty of Commerce Dr Nyaoga, Director Institute of Gender Studies Dr Lilian Chesikaw. Also, the Communications and Marketing Manager Ms Agnes Mwangi representing the Director Marketing and Resource Mobilization Prof. Paul Kimurto, and Dr Steve Omondi Oduor Dean, Faculty of Science.
By Kurian Musa
Communications Officer
Directorate of Marketing and Resource Mobilization
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