International Academy for Quality

International Academy for Quality
Name	International Academy for Quality
Formation	1989
Type	Non-profit organization
Headquarters	location unknown
Region served	International
Membership	Fellows and members

International Academy for Quality is an international learned society focused on quality management, quality assurance, and quality improvement. It brings together senior scholars, practitioners, and leaders from organizations such as International Organization for Standardization, European Organization for Quality, American Society for Quality, Japan Society for Quality Control, and International Labour Organization to advance standards, professional practice, and research. The Academy intersects with institutions including World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, World Health Organization, and multinational corporations such as Toyota Motor Corporation, General Electric, and Siemens.

History

The Academy was established in 1989 amid growing international interest in quality management practices promulgated by figures and movements linked to W. Edwards Deming, Joseph M. Juran, Kaoru Ishikawa, Philip B. Crosby, and the Total Quality Management movement. Early influences included standards and initiatives from International Organization for Standardization (notably ISO 9000), research from universities like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Tokyo, Stanford University, and professional associations such as American Society for Quality and European Organization for Quality. Over subsequent decades the Academy engaged with events and milestones such as the spread of Six Sigma through Motorola and Honeywell, the rise of Lean manufacturing at Toyota Motor Corporation, and regulatory changes influenced by bodies like the Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency.

Mission and Objectives

The Academy's mission emphasizes the promotion of excellence in quality science and practice by connecting leaders from industry, academia, and public sector institutions including United Nations, World Health Organization, World Bank, and regional agencies. Its objectives include fostering research akin to work at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Cambridge, Tsinghua University, and ETH Zurich; advising standard-setting bodies such as International Organization for Standardization and British Standards Institution; supporting professional development similar to programs at American Society for Quality and Chartered Quality Institute; and influencing policy dialogues involving Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and International Labour Organization.

Membership and Governance

Membership comprises elected fellows drawn from prominent organizations and universities including Harvard University, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, Imperial College London, National University of Singapore, Seoul National University, University of Melbourne, and corporations such as General Electric, Siemens, Toyota Motor Corporation, Samsung, and Procter & Gamble. Governance typically features an elected board and officers who liaise with international bodies like International Organization for Standardization, European Commission, and regional quality societies such as Japan Society for Quality Control and Instituto Brasileiro de Qualidade. Election to fellowship recognizes contributions comparable to awards like the Deming Prize, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, and Shingo Prize.

Activities and Programs

The Academy organizes symposia, workshops, and colloquia that attract participants from institutions such as World Health Organization, Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency, World Bank, and universities including Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of Cambridge. Programs address methods rooted in the legacies of W. Edwards Deming, Joseph M. Juran, Kaoru Ishikawa, and practices like Six Sigma, Lean manufacturing, and Statistical Process Control pioneered at Bell Labs and advanced at AT&T. The Academy engages in capacity-building initiatives for national quality infrastructures similar to efforts by International Trade Centre and United Nations Industrial Development Organization and convenes panels with regulators and firms such as Toyota Motor Corporation, General Electric, Siemens, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer.

Publications and Awards

The Academy disseminates monographs, proceedings, and position papers that reach audiences at journals and publishers affiliated with Elsevier, Springer Science+Business Media, Wiley-Blackwell, and academic outlets at Harvard Business School Publishing and MIT Press. Its award programs honor contributions reminiscent of the Deming Prize, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Shingo Prize, and national recognition schemes in countries such as Japan, United States, Germany, and United Kingdom. Fellows publish research intersecting with scholarship from Harvard University, Stanford University, London School of Economics, INSEAD, and IMD Business School.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The Academy collaborates with international organizations and standards bodies like International Organization for Standardization, British Standards Institution, European Organization for Quality, and policy institutions such as Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and United Nations Industrial Development Organization. It partners with universities including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Tokyo, Tsinghua University, Imperial College London, and corporate partners such as Toyota Motor Corporation, General Electric, Siemens, Samsung, and Procter & Gamble for applied research, standards development, and executive education. Regional cooperation involves associations like Japan Society for Quality Control, American Society for Quality, Chartered Quality Institute, and national accreditation bodies in Germany, France, Brazil, and India.

Category:Quality management organizations