Bonn on 17 December 2018

German Academic Exchange Service successfully certified in accordance with ISO 9001

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The DAAD has proved that it fulfils high quality standards in a recent certification audit. The organisation was awarded the official certificate confirming its DIN EN ISO 9001 status in Bonn on 17 December 2018.

The ISO certification confirms the excellent quality of work performed by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the professionalism of the world’s largest funding organisation for the international exchange of students and researchers. It also validates the internationally-demonstrable competitiveness, defined responsibilities and transparent processes within the organisation. The certification procedure attests to the structured, efficient nature of the work processes executed by the DAAD’s employees.

“We are delighted that the DAAD has been successfully ISO-certified. The first-class certification mark reflects our commitment to quality and due diligence, emphasising and substantiating our mission statement of the effective promotion of international exchange. The certification also provides us with added motivation to promote the internationalisation of German higher education institutions with the high standards we have applied to date, thus securing our commitment to quality in a sustainable manner,” says DAAD President Prof. Margret Wintermantel.

DAAD Secretary General Dr Dorothea Rüland comments: “If not quite prerequisites, quality, efficiency and responsiveness are certainly key factors for the success of a globally-active institution like the DAAD in an international setting.” “The ISO certification acts as a guarantee to our member organisations, funding bodies and scholarship holders that we have dedicated ourselves to the upholding of these high standards and to our continual improvement. At the DAAD, organisation, management and processes are established sustainably for the future.”

The DAAD’s successful claim to quality assurance was confirmed by the state-approved certification body CERTQUA. The quality assessment and certification procedure involved all divisions of the DAAD – from the scholarships and project departments, the Central Administration and the Executive Staff to the strategy and communications departments. The certification phase started in late 2017 with the certification’s call for applications.

“During the course of an extensive audit lasting seven days, plus a pre-auditing phase of several days, the DAAD has proved that it fulfils, and in some cases exceeds the requirements of the international DIN EN ISO 9001 standard,” says Elmar Pfitzinger, head auditor on behalf of the certification body Certqua. “Added to this, no discrepancies or other restrictions were ascertained, which is highly unusual.”

The DAAD decided to apply for certification in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 on the grounds of the ISO’s status as the world-renowned, established norm for quality standards. With its successful certification, the DAAD has now furnished proof of its efficient, functional and standards-compliant quality management system, which optimises work processes within the DAAD and ensures its work quality in a sustainable manner.

The National Agency for EU Higher Education Cooperation within the DAAD (NA DAAD) was first awarded an external certificate according to DIN EN ISO 9001 in 2006. Re-certifications in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001:2008 followed in 2009, 2012 and 2015. The National Agency has also been successfully certified according to the new 9001:2015 standard since October 2018.

The DAAD

The German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAAD) is an organisation consisting of German higher education institutions and their students that works towards the internationalisation of the academic system. It creates access to the very best study and research opportunities for students, researchers and teachers via the awarding of scholarships. It promotes transnational collaborations and partnerships between higher education institutions and is the National Agency for European higher education cooperation.

With this, the DAAD supports the objectives of the Foreign Cultural and Educational Policy, the national science policy and Development Cooperation. For this purpose, it maintains a network of over 70 international offices and around 450 global lectureships, as well as running the International DAAD Academy (iDA).
In 2017, the DAAD funded just under 140,000 Germans and foreigners around the world, including participants in the EU programmes it supports. The budget comes largely from federal funds assigned by various ministries, the European Union, businesses, organisations and foreign governments.

The DAAD is certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001:2015.