Journal of Engineering Education Transformations

Edward Sallis ¹

Affiliations
1 Highlands College, Jersey, PO Box 1000, St Saviour, Jersey JE4 8QA, British Channel Islands, JE

Abstract

Quality does not just happen. It must be planned for. Quality needs to be a major plank in all institution 's strategy, and needs to be approached systematically using a rigorous strategic planning process. Strategic planning is one of the major planks of TQM. Without clear long -term direction the institution cannot plan for quality improvement. The first of W Edward Deming's 14 points is "create constancy of purpose". This can only be achieved within the context of a corporate strategy. Underlying the strategy must be the concept of strengthening the customer focus. A strong strategic vision is one of the most important critical success factors for any institution.

The strategic planning process in education can mirror that normally followed ill industry and commerce. The tools employed for establishing mission, goals and analyzing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats translate well. The tools themselves are simple and easy to apply. Their power results from the focus they give to the corporate thinking process. They force a questioning of why the institution exists, for whom it exists, and whether it is pursuing the right goals.

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Edward Sallis ¹

Affiliations
1 Highlands College, Jersey, PO Box 1000, St Saviour, Jersey JE4 8QA, British Channel Istands, JE

Abstract

As the author of two books and numerous articles on the relationship between TOM and education (Sallis 2003) you would expect me to answer in the affirmative and to give as my rationale the fact that education at whatever stage, primary, secondary, tertiary or higher, is simply a service and like any service industry is capable of improvements in its quality to its various customers and clients. But if this is the case then why do so few institutions have mission statements that acknowledge their commitment to total quality management?

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Edward Sallis ¹

Affiliations
1 Highlands College, JE

Abstract

This is a case study of how a college developed its own quality framework. It charts the progress since 1998 when the College started on the journey to self-improvement, which is its name for total quality management. An important feature of the programme is that it is a self-generated model, broadly following the principles of total quality management and similar models of continuous improvement. The programme has grown into a complex and rich institutional quality improvement process that has led to high student retention and achievement, and is providing considerable bench marking data for further improvement. It has lessons for the development of quality systems ill institutions of higher educational.

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