ISO audit team satisfied

To recommend renewal of 9001-2008 certificate Visakhapatnam: A four-member audit team of ISO 9001:2008 standard from TUV-SUD South Asia Private Limited comprising KV Kameswara Rao, V Chalapathi Gouravaram, K Krishna Mohan and Srinivasulu Rupineni has expressed its satisfaction with the documentation provided by Andhra University for renewal of certification. During its three-day visit, the ISO team undertook detailed scrutiny and inspection of all records, infrastructure facilities, systems, research projects and consultancy services available in the 87-year-old Andhra University and is ready to recommend to the company for the renewal of ISO 9001-2008 certification. Vice-Chancellor Prof. GSN Raju told reporters here on Friday that the ISO team was fully satisfied after going through all details, including documents, infrastructure and quality services, provided by the university and declared that it would recommend for the renewal of the certification. He thanked all the members of the audit team for going through the details and all principals of AU colleges, senior faculty members, deans, heads of departments, other teaching and non-teaching staff for coordinating with the team. The certification was a symbol for the best practices in implementation of quality training, research and consultancy while its scope was design of curriculum, syllabus, regulations and eligibility norms for under-graduate, post-graduate and research programmes, teaching, conduct of exams, evaluation, publication of results and awarding degrees, he added. Mr Kameswara Rao, while clarifying the word 'TUV-SUD', said it was a technical inspection agency of Germany with its headquarters in Mumbai. "We are all surprised to see the valuable projects and the documentation made by all departments, whether it is law, commerce, science, pharmacy and any other. We have no words to comment on the functioning of Andhra University as a whole under the leadership of Prof. GSN Raju. It has beautiful auditoriums, some of which were sponsored by university alumni. The audit team has been satisfied cent per cent," he pointed out. Clarifying about the 'recertification' of ISO 9001-2008, he said the certificate would be renewed for another three-year period. Referring to the Metallurgy Department of AU Engineering College (A), Mr Kameswara Rao said they were greatly impressed with its infrastructure and equipment and the department was extending technical support to Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited-Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (RINL-VSP). To a question, he replied that there notable increase in the number of PhDs and consultancy services and improvement in infrastructure when compared to that during the previous audit. "I specially thank the Vice-Chancellor and his team for their hospitality during our short stay," he added. The Vice-Chancellor said more than 80 per cent of systems of AU were purchased three years ago with updated technology and specially thanked IPS coordinator JMJ Raju for coordinating with the team. He assured the team members that they would improve themselves further to provide better service. Rector Prof. AV Prasada Rao, Registrar Prof. K Rama Mohana Rao, former Registrar Dr K Samrajya Lakshmi, media director Prof. DVR Murty, principals and deans were present.