| dc.description.abstract | Higher education is the critical economic sector
that has eventually been followed by all other major
economic sectors such as financial services, healthcare,
telecommunication, aviation, transportation etc. Today,
higher educational institutions all over the world operate
in a fast-dynamic environment with high competition for
reputation, talent acquisition, and student attraction.
Following the basis of that high competition is leading to a
significant focus on quality. It is not easy to define the
quality in terms of higher education since the complex
relationships of higher education to students and the
different roles of a student in the higher education process.
Addressing the issue, International Organization for
Standards (ISO) has recently published a new quality
framework for higher educational institutions; ISO
21001:2018 EOMS and most of the institutions adopted
ISO 9001 standard series until the publication of the new
ISO standard for higher education. This study employs an
evidence-based approach and critically evaluates the
existing literature on ISO QMS implementation in higher
education institutions in different countries with the
intention of elaborating on the necessity of adopting it in
the Sri Lankan context. Further, it attempts to summarize
the key benefit, challenges, and critical success factors of
ISO implementation with reference to Sri Lanka. According
to the findings, the key benefits of ISO adoption to higher
education institutions are cost reduction, consistent
customer satisfaction, risk management, international
recognition, adopting rapid changes, attracting grants/
funds, and strengthening international linkages and
relationships. In addition, the challenges and critical
success factors are also elaborated for easy implication. | en_US |
