Knowledge is considered the most valuable resource an organisation has, and one that can enable its further development and give it competitive advantage. To provide, share and produce knowledge effectively, it is vital for any VET provider organisation to arrange smooth flow of information and provide ample opportunities for communication. However, information should be targeted at the right people and any information overflow avoided as counterproductive.

Good information and communication management is also crucial for operation of a QMS, as it helps to establish transparency of processes and responsibilities, spread information on occasions for active participation in quality and communicate results of quality assessments. Continuous communication with staff, teachers, trainers and students is an important precondition for creating commitment to quality. To give an example, feeding back results of quality measurements to those who participated in assessments and evaluations is an indispensable task of managing quality. Providing information on main results of a students’ satisfaction survey – together with improvement actions launched in its wake – will improve perceived quality of a VET institution, and, as a by-product, increase motivation to participate in future surveys.

A VET organisation can use a broad range of media for meaningful management of information and communication, and it is an important task for quality management to choose the right medium depending on the case, purpose and confidentiality of communication:

1. meetings are indispensable communication opportunities for discussing quality issues (activities, results, improvements) in an open atmosphere by actively including relevant stakeholders;

2. an intranet is a perfect documentation system for rules, procedures, records and assessment data, where an individualised access system can allow flexible accessibility to confidential information;

3. a website is the appropriate medium for positive marketing of a VET institution, communicating its quality objectives and achievements, and for rapidly disseminating all up-to-date information;

4. newsletters might be used to inform people of latest developments and achievements introduce new personnel and promote new projects and plans;

5. social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Xing are increasingly replacing (printed) newsletters as they fulfil the same role, but are more frequently updated and appreciated by VET students;

6. notice boards are useful media through which to share core information with specific audiences (students, teachers);

7. television screens, installed at central meeting points inside a VET institution, are helpful to communicate the latest news stories.

Box 30. Meetings to address quality issues

To create a quality culture in a VET organisation, management’s commitment to quality and its continuous improvement should be part of the basic message in each communication with internal and external stakeholders.