NATA recently attended a series of international meetings in Berlin to consider development in digital transformation of National Quality Infrastructure (NQI).
NQI is a term used in international trade to describe the institutional framework ensuring that products and services meet established standards and can be safely and reliably traded anywhere in the world. This covers the role of standards development organisations, metrology, accreditation, conformity assessment and enforcement authorities. Key NQI bodies in Australia include Standards Australia, the National Measurement Institute (NMI), the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA), and the Joint Accreditation System of Australia & New Zealand (JASANZ)
Brett Hyland attended the 2035 QI-Digital conference, held in conjunction with the ISO Annual meetings, which showcased developments in quality infrastructure. The ‘Data Ecosystem for Efficient and Trusted Information Flow’ panel, featuring Brett as an expert panelist, explored how Digital Product Passports may both disrupt and digitally transform international supply chains.
Brett also was an observer at the biannual meeting of the JSI Hub, involving global signatories to the Joint Statement of Intent on the Digital Transformation of Scientific and Quality Infrastructure. This meeting explored how the global scientific infrastructure is undergoing rapid transformation and the corresponding need for adaption by national quality infrastructure.
The week ended with the German/Austrian/Swiss Regional Exchange on Quality Infrastructure, focusing on measurement standards. Brett was a guest speaker at this event, unpacking the potential for applying World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) protocols to the exchange of measurement data.
These engagements illustrate the ongoing impact of work started by NATA in Australia back in 2021 regarding the role of accreditation in an increasingly digital world. It also highlights the responsibility for NQI more generally to consider and address how critical national functions might best adapt to a changing external environment.