educational sector

AvISO's Education industry clients include organisations working towards a range of standards such as ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, and 27001, and legal register support to enhance the credibility of the organisations. 

Case Studies: Cranfield, Oxford University

Education Industry and AviSO Achievements  

AvISO is experienced in working with a wide range of organisations within the education sector, helping implement a wide range of ISO standards. The team at AvISO have also helped maintain, add value, and rectify existing systems in place, as well as helping increase the scope of existing systems with different standards and increasing activities under those scopes.

AvISO has worked ensure that the organisation operates at the highestwith some of the best in the world, such as Oxford University Said Business School. We have worked with universities and colleges in the UK, supporting the process of achieving a range of ISO standards. Our consultants have extensive experience working within the HE sectors. We are proud of our success and look forward to continuing a long-standing relationship with these institutions for years to come.

How We Can Help

AvISO can help you implement a range of standards to improve your organisation's security, we are on G-Cloud 13, so there is no need for tendering. We can support you with your legal compliance requirements. We understand the importance of having a secure environment for your education sector organisation, and we have worked with many organisations in this sector to ensure their systems are protected.

Why are ISO Standards Important in the Education Sector 

ISO standards are an important part of higher education organisations. They help to ensure that the organisation is operating at the highest level of quality, safety, and environmental consciousness. 

ISO Standards enhance the credibility of academic institutions and are globally recognised in 163 countries, they can benefit from:

• ISO 21001, to encourage equal opportunities for all students and enables educational organisations to deliver a more impactful and relevant learning experience aligned with the organisation’s missions and values. 
• ISO 9001 (QMS) improves the formative process that positively affects the student’s learning and overall satisfaction, correct planning, and risk management
• ISO 27001 (ISMS) demonstrates the institution is taking precautions to protect the data processed from unlawful access, corruption, and theft. It shows a commitment to protecting its information and that of staff, students, and partners. Stakeholders can be confident that all information captured and stored is validated by an internationally recognised framework. 
• Cyber Essentials, a government certification scheme to cover actions every organisation should take to ensure its digital security and protection from cyberattacks.
• ISO 14001 (EMS) provides guidance and practical tools to identify and control the institution’s environmental impact and ensure compliance with environmental legislation.
• ISO 17025 demonstrates that your laboratory is committed to following validated test procedures, respecting confidentiality, having only competent and authorised staff, using adequate test equipment, and ensuring the required environmental conditions.
• ISO 17024 provides a framework for organisations to manage the competence of personnel to perform a job. This allows for the improved quality of the workforce and processes.
• Legal register support ensures organisations in the education sector are operating within the bounds of the law and thus, following best practices. It also helps them protect their students from harm and ensure that their employees are protected from unfair treatment.

Education is a large sector, and it is therefore important that this sector has standardisation so that its members can be confident.  ISO standards will also help to ensure that all educational institutions are held accountable for their actions by ensuring that any missteps or mistakes made by one institution do not affect other institutions.

‍What Challenges does the Education Industry Face, and What are the Solutions?

The education sector is one of the most important areas in society, and it's also one of the most vulnerable. To protect students, teachers, and schools from outside threats, it's essential that you have a strong security system in place.

A cyber security breach survey conducted by the UK Government covered educational institutions from primary schools to higher education organisations finding 573 businesses identified a breach or attack in the last 12 months (GOV.UK 2022). 

The survey found further education colleges and higher education institutions were more likely to experience a wider range of breaches or attacks such as impersonation, phishing, virus, and spyware attacks. 88% of higher education institutions have been negatively affected.

To manage or mitigate risks, cyber security training or awareness-raising activities are useful. AvISO can assist you with training and implementing ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials to give you peace of mind that protects against the most common cyber-attacks. 

ISO 27001 is an internationally recognised standard for information security management systems (ISMS). It helps organisations put together a comprehensive plan for protecting sensitive information and assets from unauthorised access.      

Achieving ISO 27001 certification can help improve the safety and security of schools by providing them with a holistic approach to risk management and compliance. By setting up a robust risk assessment process, ISO 27001 encourages organisations to consider all possible threats to their business, including those that could arise from internal sources such as human error or external sources such as natural disasters or cyber-attacks. This helps organisations understand what they need to do to protect themselves against these risks so they can continue operating successfully without interruption. 

Case Studies: Cranfield, Oxford University‍

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