The SMIIC (1+1) Project continued on 3 September 2026 with a training module on the requirements for proficiency-testing providers, bringing together many participants from national standardization, metrology and accreditation institutions across SMIIC Member States.

The session was presented by Mr. Dhandy Arisaktiwardhana of the National Standardization Agency of Indonesia (BSN), the mentoring institution of the programme. He introduced ISO/IEC 17043:2023, the international standard setting out the general requirements for the competence of proficiency-testing providers, and explained the role of proficiency testing as an independent means of demonstrating the technical competence of laboratories and the reliability of their results. The presentation gave an overview of the main requirements of the standard, from impartiality and organisational matters to the design, operation and reporting of proficiency-testing schemes.

The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer session, during which participants exchanged views with the speaker on the practical application of the standard and on Indonesia’s experience in the accreditation of proficiency-testing providers.

The module was prepared in response to the needs submitted by Member States in the field of conformity assessment and accreditation and was opened to all interested Member States.

Implemented under Project No. 16 of the Two-Year Implementation Plan 2025–2026, the SMIIC (1+1) Project pairs advanced Member States with those seeking support in standardization, metrology and conformity assessment.