- the independent German certification body for education and economy in a globalized world.

DIN ISO 29990:2010 Learning Services for non-formal education and training – basic requirements for service providers

For the very first time, a quality level for learning services has been universally agreed on. Representatives of all countries voted unanimously in favor of this ISO standard in the final vote. The agreement is a milestone since it marks the transition to further globalization of the education market. Notably Asian countries estimate very high the efficiency and significance of ISO 29990:2010 (see: symposium on international norms and standards in non-formal education and training, held in Tokyo/Japan on 10 September 2010).

In June 2010 the international organization related to ISO 29990:2010 was founded in Tokyo/Japan: IFCES – THE INTERNATIONAL FORUM FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES. DeuZert was the only certification body of the world to have been a founding member.

This standard serves as the evidence for international marketability of education services. The confusion which was due to uncountable quality models and quality approaches in the field of non-formal education and training has been stopped. Now there are clear processes as well as a clear process orientation. This standard is becoming a sustainable tool to evaluate and ensure quality capability in the international education market as it offers a customized management system to both tutors and learning service providers.

Transparency and comparability between learning service providers all over the world are now possible.

DeuZert® is an accredited certification body in accordance with ISO 29990 and can make recourse to the highest personnel competence from the responsible Technical Committee ISO/TC 232. It is therefore able to realize a value-adding, sustainable and accepted certification procedure. This is evidenced by our customers, amongst others the renowned Health Academy CHARITÉ (Berlin/ Germany). As the world’s first organization, CHARITÉ has already had many years of experience with the certification standard concerned. Rely on DeuZert® as the trustworthy partner for demanding certifications!

Since January 2011, DeuZert® has been recommended as a competent certification body for certifications in accordance with ISO 29990:2010 by the Forum Distance-Learning (FDL) and by the European Association for Distance Learning (EADL).

DeuZert® is furthermore the only certification body within IFCES.

On September 23 2011, DeuZert® certified the world’s first (international) educational managers according to ISO 29990.

The DeuZert® certificate according DIN ISO 29990:2010 is an effective and confidence-building instrument for demonstrating internationally accepted quality of education at the highest level.

Our many years of experience flow permanently into our efficient certification process, so that an optimal preparation for certification and a quick certification decision - usually within 1-2 weeks - is ensured.

The procedure of the DeuZert® certification provides:

Offer based on a standardized questionnaire
Mandating the certification
Optional pre-audit
Planning the certification audit
Stage 1 audit as a priority documentation check for certification ability
Stage 2 audit with final audit report
Decision on certification in the DeuZert® Certification Committee
Certificate issue for three years
two calendar-year surveillance audits from the following year
Re-certification audit with an extension of the certificate for another three years [on request]

The following references can be used to request an offer and for further information:

Additional information

ISO 29990:2010 is designed as a "umbrella standard" to serve as a basis for further education sector-specific standards. Meanwhile the following standards are appeared

ISO 29991:2016 Language learning services outside formal education - Requirements
ISO 29992:2018 Assessment of outcomes of Learning services - Guidance
ISO 29993:2017 Learning services outside formal education - Service requirements

Futher standards in this series are in work by the ISO standardization committee ISO/ TC 232, like

ISO 29994 Learning services outside formal education - Additional requirements for distance learning as well as
ISO 29995 Learning services outside formal education - Terminology.

The title of the English original version of the ISO 29990:2010 reads: "Learning services for non-formal education and training – Basic requirements for service providers." What does “non-formal” mean in that context?

UNESCO differentiates between “formal” and “non-formal” education, a definition we adopted regarding ISO 29990:2010. In chapter 2.15 of the International Standard, it goes as follows:

"Non-formal education

<learning services> organized educational activity outside established recognized formal systems of elementary, secondary or higher education.

Example: Vocational training; life-long learning; in-company training (either outsourced or in-house)."

The structure of DIN ISO 2999:2010

	Foreword
	Introduction	Objective: Providing a generic model for quality professional practice and performance, and a common reference for learning service providers and their clients.
1.	Scope	This international standard specifies basic requirements for providers of learning services in non-formal education and training.
2.	Terms and definition	Introduction of 18 specific terms, e.g. amongst others competency, curriculum or transfer of learning.
3.	Learning services	Including five subitems relating to the process chain of learning services.
4.	Management of the learning service provider	Including ten subitems which ensure a certificable management system in accordance with ISO criteria.
	Annex	A to E

The correspondence between ISO 29990:2010 and ISO 9001:2008 is elaborated on in appendix E of the standard.

History

07/02/2006	DIN (Germany) submits a proposal for a new field of service standardization concerning learning services to ISO.
26-27/03/2007	First meeting of the new-established Technical Commitee ISO/TC 232 in Berlin/ germany
09-11/04/2008	Meeting of Technical Commitee ISO/TC 232 together with its working group no 1 in Philadelphia/ US: Agreement on the field of application and the main structure of the standard
19-21/11/2008	Meeting of Technical Commitee ISO/TC 232 together with its working group no 1 in Sydney/ Australia: Completion of the initial draft of the standard
18-20/03/2009	Meeting of Technical Commitee ISO/TC 232 together with its working group no 1 in Tokyo/ Japan: Completion of the draft of the standard in its capacity as an International Standard
07/07/2009	ISO/DIS 29990:2009 was published
14-15/01/2010	Meeting of Technical Commitee ISO/TC 232 together with its working group no 1 in London/ UK: Completion of the final draft of the standard in its capacity as an International Standard. Unanimous vote in favor of the new standard through all members
09/08/2010	Approval if ISO 29990:2010 through all involved national standard bodies in the final vote
01/09/2010	Publication of ISO 29990:2010 in English and French
01/09/2010	The German Health Service Academy CHARITÉ (Berlin) receives the world´s first certification in accordance with ISO 29990:2010 by DeuZert®
18/12/2018	ISO/TMB has withdrawn the ISO 29990:2010. The German standardization organization DIN adheres to the standard 'DIN ISO 29990:2010' by the next 2 years.

Current status: 22/03/2019

DeuZert® Deutsche Zertifizierung in Bildung und Wirtschaft GmbH

- the independent German certification body for education and economy in a globalized world.

DIN ISO 29990:2010 Learning Services for non-formal education and training – basic requirements for service providers

Additional information

History