International Journal of Information and Education Technology, Vol. 11, No. 4, April 2021 ISO Standard Application in University Management Model: A Case Study Tran Vi Anh, Nguyen Thi My Linh, Ho Thi Thao Nguyen, and Truong Cong Duan Higher education (HE) in contemporary times has been Abstract—The ISO standards have been traditionally used in facing a number of challenges, including greater autonomy, the business context, specifically in manufacturing and services, increasing competition to attract students, increasing to provide a framework for total quality management. Such education costs, as well as environmental factors like application has now been found in the context of higher technological advancements, industry globalization [1], education; thus, this paper aims to look into the implementation of ISO standards in the management of a private university in changing expectations and diversifying needs of stakeholders Vietnam. Using a desk research approach, the study seeks to and the trend towards privatization, all of which have detail the application of ISO in the areas of educational support facilitated the need for improved practices in management system and business operation system in the strategic and leadership in higher education institutions (HEIs) [2]. management of this institution, showing the quantitative Despite the growing importance of effective management operational results that have been achieved in all aspects of HR and leadership practices in higher education, HEI management, teaching quality, new enrollment number and financial growth. management and leadership as concepts are often subject to confusion and misunderstanding, and thus are extensively Index Terms—Higher education, quality management, school debated within academia [3]. management, strategic management. According to Taylor & Machado (2006) [3], when referring to management, contemporary discourse often meant strategic management, which is defined as a science I. INTRODUCTION and an art, consisting of the formulation, implementation and Higher education is facing various challenges posed by evaluation of cross-functional decisions to enable an both environmental forces as well as internal factors. As a organization towards the fulfillment of its objectives. It is a result, a number of models for strategic management and holistic process comprising various components that must leadership have been proposed for effective application in the interact and function effectively together, composing of context of higher education, among which is the ISO set of institutional culture; strategic planning; leadership; standards which has been traditionally applied in institutional research, resource allocation and financial manufacturing and services. ISO standards are increasingly management; personnel and human resources management; being adopted by higher education institutions as they research and scholarly activity; student and campus support provide the guidelines for quality management. services; academic support services; internationalization; and FPT University is a private higher education institution external relations. based in Vietnam, with campuses in major cities in the Castro et al. (2017) [4] proposed a strategic model for country including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and university management by analyzing best practices in 12 Can Tho. As the first university founded by a private areas, 28 features, 111 standards of quality, 188 indicators corporation in Vietnam, the university has applied the ISO and 937 evidences. The model postulates that there are six 9001 standards in quality and process management for both functions that form the strategic axes for excellence in its educational support system and business operations university management, which are administrative system. This application has brought about concrete and management, teaching, student progress, support services, considerable results, which are further discussed in this research, and university social importance. paper. According to Sharma, Tiwari & Anjum (2013) [2], the management of institutions in the public and private sector can be classified into a continuum based on five different dimensions, namely: mission or purpose, ownership, source Manuscript received July 10, 2020; revised January 16, 2021. This work of revenue, control by government, and norms of was supported by FPT University’s Research-Conference Fund (QD928). management. Those dimensions create school culture [5]. Tran Vi Anh is with the Faculty of Business, FPT University, Hoa Lac Hi-TecPark, Thach That Ward, Hanoi, Vietnam (e-mail: Institutions with high privateness are characterized based on [email protected]). these dimensions as follows: their mission serves the private Nguyen Thi My Linh is with the Department of Quality Assurance, FPT interests of students, clients, and owners; they are for-profit; University, Hoa Lac Hi-TecPark, Thach That Ward, Hanoi, Vietnam (e-mail: revenue is also private and mainly tuition-dependent; [email protected]). Ho Thi Thao Nguyen is with the Department of Education, Univeriti controls are limited to those over any other business; and the Teknology Petronas 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia institutions are operated like a business with norms from (e-mail: [email protected]). management. Truong Cong Duan is with the Department of Academic, Swinburne Vietnam, FPT University, 02 Duong Khue, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam According to Ekman, Lindgren & Packendorff (2018) [6], (e-mail: [email protected]). over the years, forms of management in the academic sector doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2021.11.4.1511 194 International Journal of Information and Education Technology, Vol. 11, No. 4, April 2021 have been influenced by: 1) the “collegial form” which is the leadership in research, strategic networking and vision, classic form in the school system and older government transformational and collaborative leadership, fair and authorities; 2) the board of directors, a form that is found in efficient management, performance development and private corporations, non-governmental organizations and recognition, and interpersonal skills [10]. Although HEIs some governmental authorities, whose members are recruited have their own distinct characteristics, it increasingly on the basis of their relationship to external perspectives and accepted that the tools and principles of general management competencies; 3) the “internal-democratic form”, based on should be adopted for continuous improvement, with the representative balance among stakeholder groups strategic management and strategic planning being important including teachers, students and other employees; and 4) concepts to be pursued by the higher education sector [3]. CEOs of private companies and monocratic managers in the In order to cope with the growing challenges in both the public sector, forming the governance style that puts the external environment and strategic management and focus on active leadership by an action-oriented head of leadership at the institutional level, there was not only the school with the support from an active management team. significant need and but also the requirement of using However, according to Yielder & Codling (2004) [7], systems of quality management standards in higher education since the 1990s, there has been a shift in how HEIs are management [11]. Quality management systems were managed, from collegial to managerial structures, meaning proposed as a way to address concerns regarding the that the traditional managerial structure of the university is efficiency, education quality and accountability [12]. Quality being replaced by a more corporate management model. The management requires the presence of a proper organizational growth of the so-called “managerialism” in HEIs was structure allowing the implementation of the quality system, indicated by three main factors as following: 1) the growing which is determined by the quality of the processes taking influence of external stakeholders, especially those that have place at the institution and the quality of its services [13]. One power over the income of the institutions, 2) strong emphasis such quality framework increasingly being adopted by HEIs on institutional strategic planning, and 3) adoption and is the ISO quality management system, which is a set of adaption of the techniques and attitudes which are typical standards that can bring such benefits as improving the features of the corporation. control and monitoring of activities, and enhancing effective On the other hand, while there is no universally accepted management within the institution, among others [14], to definition of leadership [8], it is a collective concept that implement such a quality management system successfully, involves various important social, organizational, and first of all, institutions need the commitment and sponsorship personal processes, including influence and inspiration from top management. Secondly, there needs to be an towards common goals through personal motivation, not emphasis on employee empowerment and involvement. coercion [9]. It is up to the organization and/or the leader to Effective communication to stakeholders and a facilitating choose one definition that is based on their tendencies, organizational culture are also important factors. In terms of beliefs and the practical situation while being aware of their organizational structure, Wahid (2019) [14] suggested that approach’s underlying