International
The International Programme aims to both protect and promote the UK’s interest internationally and provide a focal point of contact for both inward and outward international liaison. Furthermore the International Programme is particularly concerned with monitoring, reacting to and indeed initiating and steering international developments that impact on the NMS directly or onto the wider UK measurement community. It does this in partnership with other NMS programmes, in all of the NMS laboratories, and in close consultation with the NMSD.
The overall aim of the International Programme is to ensure fair and safe international competition, to unlock the nation’s innovative potential through an optimal metrology infrastructure, to effectively represent the national interest at the international table and to play a leading role in initiatives affecting the economic and social well being of the nation.
The International Programme has four objectives:
- To ensure the international acceptability of UK measurements, confidence in measurements made overseas that are important for the UK and to optimise the impact of the NMS investment in the CIPM MRA (Mutual Recognition Arrangement) and the Metre Convention
- To ensure that the UK has cutting edge measurement capabilities in areas critical to innovation by strategically focusing resources and leveraging international capabilities both now and in the future
- To steer international metrology and access international expertise in measurement related activities to the benefit of the UK, through key representations and by fostering international exchanges of scientific and other key staff
- To transfer knowledge within the NMS and the wider metrology and measurement community by provision of information on international activities, consultation with, and advice to, stakeholders.