Guest View

Prof. Song Mingshun

Professor Song Mingshun is the 

Dean of the College of Economics and Management at 

China Jiliang University and the 

Chief Director of the programme on 

standardization. He is a member 

of the national technical committee 

for certification and accreditation 

(SAC/TC 261), and of the national 

technical committee for quality 

management in China (SAC/TC 151). 

He is also a scientific consultant 

of the China National Institute of 

Standardization and an economic 

consultant of the People’s 

Government of Zhejiang 

Province. Previously, 

Prof. Song obtained a 

Masters degree at Zhejiang 

University, and was a 

visiting scholar at the 

Physikalisch-Technische 

Bundesanstalt (national 

metrology institute) in Germany. 

Currently, he teaches courses 

on standardization principles, 

international standardization, 

quality management, international 

trade theory and the ILIAS e-learning 

platform (a Web-based learning 

management system).

ISO Focus: Firstly, our sincere congratulations, Prof. Song, on receiving 

the ISO Award for Higher Education in 

Standardization. To familiarize our 

readers, could you please describe the 

undergraduate programme in standardization at China Jiliang University ?

Prof. Song Mingshun : The undergraduate 

programme on standardization at China 

Jiliang University is based on business 

discipline. The students are required to 

study and practice engineering and technology, including mathematics, computer 

“ There are more than 

30 universities in China 

engaged in standardization 

education which look to 

China Jiliang University to 

lead the way.”

science, physics, mechanical engineering, electronics, measurement and electrotechnology, among others. They must 

also study economics and management 

sciences, including macro- and microeconomics, international trade and management theory, marketing and financial 

management. In addition, they must take 

the courses listed in Figure 1.

ISO Focus: Standards are vehicles 

for the transfer of knowledge, technology and good business practices. How does China Jiliang 

University see the promotion 

of International Standards 

in education ? What is the 

relationship between the 

University’s programme and

the Chinese industry ?

Prof. Song Mingshun : As 

mentioned above, students must follow 

a course on international standardization 

and practice their skills on the ILIAS 

e-learning platform. Students in senior classes are encouraged to take the 

“ internal auditor of ISO 9001” examinations. More than 70 % of graduates 

have obtained the internal auditor license 

based on ISO 9001:2000. To control 

and guarantee the quality of this proFigure 1 – Main courses related to standardization.

Curriculum Course Study hours

Standardization principles 36

International standardization 36

WTO/Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) – Sanitary and 

Phytosanitary (SPS)

36

ISO 9000 family of standards and quality certification 54

Quality management 54

ILIAS e-learning platform 16

Standardization

4 ISO Focus November 2007
gramme, a teaching quality management system based on ISO 9001:2000 

has been set up. The system operates 

with high efficiency and is certified to 

ISO 9001:2000 (photo below).

ISO Focus: Capacity building of education professionals is an essential factor of success. What can be done to 

raise awareness of the importance of 

international standardization among 

current and future teachers for technology, business and legal curricula ? Do 

you have initiatives or plans to network 

with other Chinese universities?

Prof. Song Mingshun : We have written 

and published a series of books related to 

standardization that have been adopted 

as textbooks by more than 20 universities in China (See photo overleaf). Every semester, we offer a standardization 

course for students from eight universities in Hangzhou.

China Quality Daily, China Education Daily, Zhejiang Daily, and six 

other newspapers have reported on our 

standardization education programme on 

numerous occasions since 2000. In April 

2007, I was invited to the studio of China 

Education Television to share our experience in higher education for standardization to the whole country!

At present, there are more than 30 

universities in China engaged in standardization education which look to China Jiliang University to lead the way. 

China Jiliang University, People’s Republic of China.

We have established contact with 

numerous organizations, including standardization bodies and business, that offer 

standardization internships which students in our programme must complete 

(photo, page 6, top right). Moreover, 

their officers or managers are often invited to give lectures on standardization at 

our university. More than 800 students 

have graduated from the undergraduate 

programme since 2000. About 95 % of 

them are working in the field of standards in business, standardization organizations, and others. (Figure 2).

The teaching quality management system is 

ISO 9001:2000 certified.

Figure 2 – Percentage of graduated students working in standardization jobs. 

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

2003 2004 2005 2006

94 % 96 % 96 % 95 %

ISO Focus November 2007 5
We are planning to organize a national 

seminar that will serve as a platform for 

mutual communication among universities involved in standardization education. The seminar to be held annually 

will promote the rapid development of 

standardization education and international standardization in China.

ISO Focus: In view of China’s expanding role in the global economy, what is 

the importance of International Standards for China in accessing world markets and facilitating global trade? To 

what extent can the Jiliang University 

programme encourage and support the 

use of International Standards by China? 

Prof. Song Mingshun : In China, International Standards play a crucial role. 

They are key for Chinese goods to enter 

the international market. Standards constitute an important tool for eliminating 

technical barriers to trade. Finally, small 

and medium-sized enterprises will benefit from their role as disseminators of 

technological progress, and promoters 

of improved product quality.

Many of our graduates are now 

pursuing careers where they work in the 

adoption of International Standards by 

business. More than 1 200 professionals have been trained on the adoption of 

International Standards for standardization organizations and companies. We 

have held three international forums and 

three national conferences on standardization. More than 50 foreign experts and 

400 Chinese professionals have visited 

our university to discuss standardization 

issues (photo at right).

Guest View

Students learn about standardization during an internship in a Chinese company.

Published books on standardization.

ISO Focus: How do you see the evolution of the undergraduate programme 

in standardization at China Jiliang 

University, both nationally and internationally? What advice, based on your 

experience, would you like to give educational establishments in other countries?

“ Many of our graduates 

are now pursuing careers 

where they work in the 

adoption of International 

Standards by business.”

Mr. Liu Pingjun, Administrator of SAC, gives a speech on standardization strategy at Jiliang University.

Prof. Song Mingshun : Our university 

has formulated a development strategy 

for standardization education (from 2005 

to 2010). In this strategy, we put forward 

the following objectives:

• to improve the degree of internationalization of higher education in standardization;

• to improve the standardization curriculum and promote it widely to other 

domestic universities;

• to actively develop the graduate programme in standardization.

 Based on our experience, we realize that it is very important to offer under6 ISO Focus November 2007
graduate courses on standard principles, 

international standardization, quality certification, and quality management. It is 

also important to set up internships with 

standardization bodies and business for 

practical experience.

Students from the China Jiliang 

University undergraduate programme on 

standardization enjoy ISO’s chocolates, on 

the occasion of the organization’s 

60th anniversary.

Prof. Song Mingshun (centre) received the first ISO Award for Higher Education in 

Standardization on behalf of the China Jiliang University, People’s Republic of China. On his 

left is Dr. George Arnold, ISO Vice-President (policy) and Chair of the selection committee, 

and on his right, ISO President Håkan Murby. 

Chinese university 

wins inaugural 

ISO Award for 

Higher Education in 

Standardization

The China Jiliang University, 

People's Republic of China, 

is the first winner of the ISO 

Award for Higher Education in 

Standardization. The inaugural 

award was presented at the 30th

ISO General Assembly.

Prof. Song Mingshun, Dean of the 

College of Management, received 

the award on behalf of the 

university for its undergraduate 

programme on standardization. 

Making the presentation, 

Dr. George Arnold, ISO VicePresident (policy) and Chair of 

the selection committee which 

had unanimously designated the 

China Jiliang University as the 

winner, said that the committee 

was particularly impressed by :

• the objectives and breadth of the 

programme ;

• the efficiency and the diversity of 

the pedagogical tools developed 

and used in the programme ;

• the follow-up of the students 

and the fact that they have taken 

up positions in very diverse 

organizations and industries.

The award comprises a certificate 

of appreciation and a cash prize 

of 15 000 Swiss francs. It is 

co-sponsored by ISO and the 

Japanese Industrial Standards 

Committee (JISC), the ISO member 

for Japan.

ISO Focus November 2007 7