Maroc - TAIWANTODAY.TW - Top News - 01/Sep 00:00

Taiwan, UK research entities expand measurement standards cooperation

Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute and the U.K.’s National Physical Laboratory concluded an agreement Sept. 11 in Hsinchu County to expand cooperation in setting technological measurement standards.   According to the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the pact was signed by Lan Yu-ping, general director of the ITRI’s Center for Measurement Standards, and Gareth Edwards, head of advanced manufacturing and materials strategy at the NPL.   The parties will expand cooperation on development and application of measurement technologies for sectors including semiconductors, artificial intelligence and key materials. They will arrange reciprocal visits, promote technical exchanges and training, and stage international conferences, among other measures.   BSMI Deputy Director General Lai June-chien said the ITRI operates the National Measurement Laboratory, which processes more than 4 million measurement requests for local businesses per year. He added that, as the NML and the NPL are signatories of the Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement’s Mutual Recognition Arrangement, the new agreement will help reduce technical barriers by cutting redundant inspection costs for exporters of both countries.   ITRI President Edwin Liu praised the pact as another milestone in its partnership with the U.K. He noted previous successes, including the inauguration of an ITRI office in London this May, and a statement of intent for strategic collaboration concluded the same month with the Catapult Network, which is made up of nine world-leading technology and innovation centers in the European country.   Also in attendance was U.K. National Technical Advisor Dave Smith, who said the semiconductor sector is at the core of global technological advancement. Given the strong foundation for collaboration between the two sides, he said the latest pact will enable the two institutes to become key players in setting global semiconductor measurement standards. (SFC-E)   Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw