Driving Quality Standards in Learning and Development
September 30 2005 -
The British Learning Association (BLA) is launching its revised and improved Quality Mark on Tuesday 15 November at the World of Learning Conference & Exhibition being held at the NEC, Birmingham.
The BLA’s Quality Mark is a scheme designed to improve the impact of learning interventions on organisational performance. It is designed for use across all sectors of learning & development. It establishes a common set of quality indicators for all aspects of learning materials production, delivery and use to give confidence to purchasers and learners.
The strength of the system is a framework adapted from the EFQM-Model. This provides a robust, objective and internationally recognised model of excellence.
The Quality Mark has been thoroughly reviewed and enhanced to support today’s organisations and learning needs.
The improved profile of the Quality Mark will motivate the supply industry (including internal suppliers) to strive for higher standards and to invest in the continuous improvement of their products and services.
The Quality Mark has operated successfully since its launch in 1998. It has been awarded to organisations across the industry spectrum, including Standard Life, Department of Health, Essex County Council, Stockport College and RAF Cosford.
BLA General Manager, Brian Merison, commented: "The Quality Mark has succeeded in bringing the quality debate into learning. The case studies of existing holders demonstrate the educational and business benefits to be gained from building quality into the development of an organisation’s people. The new Quality Mark moves things forward significantly by making the scheme relevant to more people and by improving the application-to-verification process. We are encouraged that a healthy list of applicants is already waiting for its launch."
About the British Learning Association (BLA)
The BLA is a centre of expertise that produces best practice examples, identifies trends and disseminates information on both innovative and well-established techniques and technologies for learning. The aim is to synthesise existing knowledge, develop original solutions and disseminate this to a wide cross sector membership.
About the BLA Quality Mark
Recognition of achievement is through a combination self-assessment and external verification. This approach provides a rigorous, consistent and cost-effective process.
It is widely recognised that the development of an organisation’s people provides a powerful competitive weapon. At the same time customer expectations and demands for better quality are growing. The BLA’s Quality Mark is designed specifically for the learning sector and provides a means for organisations to align their learning activities with customer and organisational demands.
High level benefits include:
- Learning policies that map onto organisation strategy
- Learning solutions that meet customer (organisation and learner) requirements
- Streamlined operational processes offering increased efficiency, flexibility and speed
- Enhanced customer-supplier relationships
- Clearer relationship between learning intervention and organisational benefit
- Greater consistency in operating procedures and deliverables
- Increased morale for developers and learners
- Increased customer satisfaction
- A process for continuous quality improvement
- Recognised commitment to quality.
The Quality Mark has been successfully applied for and achieved by a number of the BLA’s membership representing a wide range of sectors, including: FE, HE, adult community learning, local government, MOD, corporate and learning services supply.
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