What ISO 29990 covers
ISO 29990 was the international standard for learning services for non-formal education and training — covering how learning service providers design, deliver and manage their services to consistent quality. It gave training organisations a recognised way to demonstrate professionalism to learners and clients.
Important: ISO 29990 has been withdrawn and superseded by ISO 21001:2018, the management system standard for educational organisations. Most learning and training providers should now be working toward ISO 21001 — but organisations with established ISO 29990 systems still operate them, and ABS continues to support them.
What ABS provides
For learning and training providers, ABS offers:
- Support for existing ISO 29990 systems for organisations that built one
- A migration pathway to ISO 21001 — mapping your current system to the successor standard and closing the gaps to achieve certification
This sits within the ISO Certifications portfolio and is closely related to ABS’s broader training and education work.
Timeline & process
Migrating from ISO 29990 to ISO 21001, or strengthening an existing learning-services system, typically takes around 10–14 weeks depending on maturity and scope. Each engagement begins with a fixed-price scoping call and a proposal within 24 hours.
Common questions
Is ISO 29990 still current?
No. ISO 29990 has been withdrawn, and ISO 21001:2018 — the management system standard for educational organisations — is now the recognised successor. ABS continues to support organisations with existing ISO 29990 systems and provides a migration pathway to ISO 21001.
Should we move from ISO 29990 to ISO 21001?
For most training and education providers, yes. ISO 21001 is the current, certifiable standard for educational organisations and gives you a certificate recognised going forward. ABS can map your existing system and close the gaps to certification.
