Management systems certification and accreditation of quality in higher education

Quality assurance models in higher education allow institutions to be accredited. Also, ISO 9001 quality management systems have been implemented and in 2018 ISO 21001 appears, with specific management requirements for educational organizations. The objective of this article is to analyze how these different models ore related. The study is based on the points of contact and differences between the three models, based on the analysis of standards and systems for quality assurance of Higher Education, in Colombia, Cuba and Ecuador. It is observed that the implementation of a management system contributes to the achievement of the institutional objectives and the satisfaction of the interested parties, likewise, it must incorporate the requirements established in the accreditation models in higher education. In addition, the complementarity of quality certification and accreditation and the synergies that may arise from the joint implementation of the external assurance and internal quality management models in higher education is evidenced. In this way, organizations can be better prepared to face risk situations, such as that caused by the pandemic and contribute to the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals.