Leading through Quality: Launch of Quality Management System at the Faculty of Education & Health Sciences Faculty Office
Leading through Quality: Launch of Quality Management System at the Faculty of Education & Health Sciences Faculty Office
A new Quality Management System (QMS) has been launched at the Office of the Dean at UL's Faculty of Education and Health Sciences (EHS).
The QMS, which documents 18 business processes and over 50 standard operating procedures, is the culmination of nearly three years of work by the faculty office team and completes Phase 1 of the project.
The project is a significant achievement as EHS is the first Faculty Office in the University of Limerick to undertake and complete the development of a quality management system. The QMS was launched by the President, Professor Shane Kilcommins, who described the project as having "the potential to provide a model and inspiration for future developments across both the Faculty and the University".
"Over the past year, the Faculty Office team has invested considerable time and effort in documenting processes, reviewing how their work is carried out, and identifying opportunities to strengthen consistency and service delivery. This work often happens behind the scenes, but it is the foundation of the success of any organisation. Developing a comprehensive Quality Management System is a substantial achievement, requiring collaboration, attention to detail, and commitment."
Welcoming the initiative, Sinéad O'Sullivan, Director of Quality, noted that the Faculty's Quality Management System demonstrates the value of quality in providing confidence in the University's processes.
Dr O'Sullivan said "One of the great strengths of our University's Quality Management System is that it is just that- it is ours. Quality work should never be viewed as something that is done to us or forced upon us. At its best, quality work is something we do for ourselves. It gives us confidence that our programmes remain relevant, that our processes are effective and that our students receive the highest standards of education and support. The decision by the Faculty to initiate and develop its QMS is an example of that approach and the QMS will be all the stronger for it."
Acknowledging the effort of the Faculty Office team, Ann Marie Kennedy, the Faculty Accreditation, Quality and Compliance Officer and project lead, said "What makes this achievement special is the people behind it. This work was completed alongside busy day jobs and competing priorities. Team members willingly shared their knowledge, supported one another, and regularly went above and beyond their normal responsibilities to make this project a success."
Mary Heuston, Faculty Manager, commended the collaboration between faculty and the wider University community, including the Faculty Office QMS team led by Ann Marie Kennedy and Eimear Scully, with the support of colleagues across the University who shared their expertise and guidance throughout the journey.
In her closing remarks, the Executive Dean of the Faculty, Professor Deirdre McGrath, looked forward to the next phase of the project as "the start of an exciting new chapter. The foundations the team has put in place give us a great opportunity to work even more closely with our Schools and Departments across EHS as we continue to strengthen quality, effectiveness and service excellence together."
