Quality Management Systems
All support units within the University of Limerick implement a bespoke Quality Management System (QMS), based upon the seven quality management principles specified in the ISO9001:2015 quality management standard.
The 'Standard Quality Management System (QMS) Framework' for UL support units outlines:
- The seven principles of quality management
- Evaluation criteria upon which assessment of QMS implementation is based
- Self-evaluation questions
'QMS-Essential' - a streamlined version of the Standard QMS Framework applies to:
- Smaller support units (typically with a staffing level of 10 or fewer)
- - Newly established support units
- - Units that have not undergone a formal quality review to date.
The Quality Team is responsible for promoting a quality culture throughout the unit. It plays a supporting role in the development and implementation of quality management systems.
Audits and Quality Reviews
A good Quality Management System (QMS) will not function or improve without audits and reviews. The following gives a brief outline of the types of audits used by support divisions within UL.
An Inter-Department Audit Process is in place which helps units to prepare for quality reviews. The audits are referred to as ‘inter-department’ because they are conducted by trained auditors both from within the unit under review and from other UL support units. The purpose of the audit process is to ensure that all components of the unit’s QMS are audited for compliance with the UL Frameworks. The process allows for a sharing of best practice and a focus on inter-department collaboration.
This is an audit carried out by trained auditors from within the unit. The audit is conducted on documented QMS processes, key business processes and operational procedures. Outcomes from these audits are incorporated into the division's quality improvement plan.
The QMS Benchmark documented is used to ascertain the division's progress to date in implementing a quality management system and to outline areas that may need to be improved. The outcome of this audit can be used to serve as a gap analysis in preparation for the review.
A review of the Division's QMS, conducted by a Quality Review Group (QRG).
