The UP System Information Technology Training Center (UP-ITTC), a world-class information technology (IT) training and services center, established by the Philippines and Japanese Governments through the University of the Philippines and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), was officially awarded certification to the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) early this month.

According to UP-ITTC Director Dr. Jaime D.L. Caro, the UP-ITTC is the first IT-training center in the Philippines to be ISO 9001:2008 certified.

"We decided to go for the certification to reaffirm our commitment to quality service, quality practices, and our commitment to continuous improvement," Dr. Caro told the UP Newsletter. "We are very pleased that we got it and are willing to share our experience with other centers that are also interested in being certified."

The awarding coincided with the first day of the four-day long 2009 Philippine Youth Congress in Information Technology (Y4iT'09), which was organized by the UP ITTC and UP SITF in cooperation with PSITE, CSP, and the UP ITTC Student Volunteer Corps.

"Early this year, we made a decision to go for ISO 9001:2008 certification, and initially, we thought would [need to] prepare for this for two years," said Dr. Caro.

"But after we made a careful study, we found that a lot of the things that certification requires, we've already been doing for the past years. So it was just a matter of matching our quality practices with what was required by the auditor."

According to the International Organization for Standardization website (http://www.iso.org/iso/home.htm), the ISO 9001:2008 certification specifies requirements for a quality management system that involves an organization's demonstrating its ability to consistently provide products that meet applicable statutory and regulatory requirements as well as customer requirements. It also aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of said quality management system, including processes for the continual improvement of the system.

"Basically, the ISO certification is awarded if [it is found that] your quality management system is adapted in all the departments of your institution," Jonalene B. Lampawog, UP-ITTC Japanese Language Training Officer, explained. "All your quality management procedures-such as generating uniform syllabi, exams and quizzes in the training and instruction-are consistently practiced, and everyone is aware of these procedures, from the top management down."

"An organization that would like to be certified by the ISO needs to have a quality management system that follows the ISO requirements. It is up to the organization to come up with that system," added Joseph M. Esteban, UP-ITTC Embedded Systems Training Officer. "You have to present documentation and records to the auditors to show that you are following your own quality procedures."

Work on preparing the various documents required by the auditors began in May 2009. Auditing was completed August 31.

Dr. Caro feels that this ISO certification serves as proof that the UP-ITTC has quality processes in place, that it is following those quality processes and procedures, and that it is measuring, validating and adjusting its systems with the aim of constantly improving them.

The UP-ITTC was established as a model of effective academe, industry and government collaboration in order to provide superior IT training and produces globally competitive IT professionals. It administers the one-year Certificate in Information Technology training program with emphasis on the following specializations: Applications Development, Network Systems, and Mobile Computing and Embedded Systems.