Comparison of the ESG Quality Management Guidelines Used in the European Higher Education with the Principles of the ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard

Abstract

There are many standards and methods for quality management. The ISO 9001:2015 is the most well-known general quality management standard in Europe, whereas TQM is in America, but in addition, there are many industry-specific quality management standards worldwide.
The SO 9001:2015 quality management standard is widely used in higher education. This standard is of a general nature and has the advantage of possibly being used by any organization regardless of industry. However, the disadvantage is that it is more difficult to provide solutions to specific needs. That is why the European Union has established the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ESG) for higher education institutions.
The ESG aims to develop the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The ESG Guidelines provide guidance for higher education institutions to improve their quality. As higher education institutions in the EHEA countries vary widely in size, organizational structure, function and geographic location, ESG defines general guidelines that can be used in this diverse environment. While the ESG shows what to do, it does not specify exactly how to do it. With this generalization, the ESG accepts the autonomy of higher education institutions and the specificities of their educational areas.
The research presents the specific guidelines of ESG and compares them with the principles of ISO 9001:2015. This makes the two quality management systems comparable and reveals their differences as well. The methodology of the research is to compare the principles of the two standards. The results of the research can be useful for higher education institutions.