The High-Level Forum on European Standardization (HLF) was set up by the European Commission in January 2023 to advise on strategic political matters in this field based on the EU Strategy on Standardization. The HLF aims to identify standardization priorities in support of EU policies and legislation and discuss horizontal issues, such as international leadership and education and skills, in a multi-stakeholder setting. Within the HLF, horizontal and topical workstreams have been launched to further the work in diverse areas.
The Workstream on Education & Skills on Standards (Workstream 1) is focused on a topic that has been recognized as one of the critical factors for a well-functioning standardization system in Europe, ensuring a pool of future experts. The need for education and skills on standardization is highlighted in the 2022 Communication of the EC on the EU Strategy on Standardization.
HZN’s employee appointed as CEN and CENELEC’s representative in Workstream 1
Mirjana Fijolić, Head of International Cooperation and Public Relations at the Croatian Standards Institute (HZN), has been appointed as CEN and CENELEC’s expert and representative in Workstream 1 Education & Skills on Standards. CEN and CENELEC have recognized her work on strengthening the visibility of standardization by collaborating with the media, organizing various events, and reaching out to young experts. Thanks to this, HZN has been awarded the “PRoud to work for standards” award for its campaign “Why is standardization important to students?”. This has confirmed HZN’s role in shaping European standardization policies.
Education on standardization still underdeveloped
The importance of standards is growing, and the importance of standardization for competitiveness and for the public interest is undisputed. Still, general awareness and training on standardization is limited, especially in regard to formal education and vocational training. Many EU companies lack a structured and strategic approach to standardization and its relevance for various economic operations, whether it is legal compliance, market access or general business strategy. The success of the European Standardization System relies on experts from industry, public administration, civil society, research or academia to deliver on all the critical aspects of standards development. Europe needs the best standardization experts to successfully pursue its global ambitions and support a digital, green and resilient Single Market.
