Basic Elements of Quality Assurance for University Graduates—Practical Needs based on Thirty Years of Experience ^†

Over the last few decades, the operation of the Single European Market and the task to eliminate technical barriers to trade underlined the need for adequate and reliable quality infrastructure. It was clear that quality assurance is of crucial importance for all types of activities, including industry and laboratories, as well as health and education, banking and other services in both public and private sectors. Young graduates still have some difficulties when looking for employment in industry or in a laboratory. Not many universities have adequately addressed quality and quality assurance issues to the extent required so that their graduates acquire the basic knowledge to meet the needs of the market.

This presentation is a proposal for the basic elements on quality assurance to be included in the curriculum of chemistry departments. These include terminology and clear understanding of aspects frequently creating confusion, analysis of the tools used and the requirements for their adequacy and reference to certain systems describing how quality assurance could be implemented in various activities. Emphasis is given to industrial and laboratory activities, the latter includes testing, calibration and sampling, as well as Research & Development. However, it is not expected that these aspects will all needs in depth.

This proposal is supported by a thirty year experience gained through a wide range of training and awareness activities with widely varying audiences, from under graduate students to accreditation assessors and the involvement in the work of Eurachem and other networks, as well as a successful pilot implementation in the Chemistry Department of the University of Cyprus.