Setting New Standards in Quality of Training
By Dr. Fuad Sultanov, EPIC College of Technology, CSTD eNewsletter, November 24, 2011
(re-printed with permission of the Canadian Society for Training and Development)

As the lifelong learning became a norm of professional development the need for learning more, faster and better is calling for higher effectiveness and quality of education. In September 2010 in recognition of the increasing need for higher quality of training the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has released the first of a kind standard that outlines the best international practices in provision of vocational and lifelong learning programs. 

The standard is called ISO 29990:2010 “Learning services for non-formal education and training. Basic requirements for service providers”. It builds on the well-known ISO 9000 series of quality assurance standards that have gained huge popularity over the past few decades in many industry sectors around the World. The new standard employs the same proven principles of quality assurance while focusing on essentials of design, delivery, evaluation and improvement of vocational and lifelong training.

The ISO 29990:2010 standard sets clear and measurable criteria allowing training organizations ensure quality of their programs. Remarkably, the standard matches well the structure and focus areas of the CSTD’s Competencies for Training and Development Professionals. The two documents complement each other in a sense that while the CSTD’s Competencies permit for certification of individuals the ISO standard provides for certification of organizations or parts of an organization.

The ISO 29990:2010 is endorsed by the Canadian Standards Association along with the national standardization organizations of 20 other countries. Training organizations or departments may seek for certification against the new ISO standard from national or international registrars accredited with the Canadian Standards Association.