Researchers

No innovation is an island: it is always docked to, and created to function within the framework of the real world. Innovations must meet the needs of people, institutions, and markets that function according to set rules, regulations, and conventions. 

Standards help to ensure that innovations effectively solve the problems they set out to, by outlining the frameworks they need to function within. This also works to shorten time to market while creating the opportunity for eventual public procurement.

Standards can help you to: 

1. Keep up with leading technologies 

Standards provide information on leading industry technologies and innovations, and are the basis of continuing education through testing, certification, and more. 

2. Comply with regulations and certifications

As public authorities are also a part of the standardization process, standards can support in the creation of policy and regulation. This makes it much easier for your work to comply with necessary regulations.  

3. Find new partners

Standardization is a co-creation process that spans different roles and sectors, including those involved with new technologies. This makes it easy to connect with new and potential partners.

4. Access technology and knowledge that supports your entry to market 

Developing new standards or modifying existing standards allows us to keep abreast of market, technology, and policy changes—knowledge of which supports your entry to market and helps to enable interoperability. 

5. Provide in-demand customer service

The methodologies you use to provide your services will be instantly recognised if they are covered by standards, making it easier to drive demand for them. Standards support also helps to make sure your testing methods are up-to-date.

6. Get your R&I research proposal funded

Public funds (i.e. Horizon2020, Horizon Europe) value standards as a project outcome. Including standardization in your research proposal can therefore increase the chance of proposal acceptance.

7. Get professional recognition

References to relevant standards will increase the quality of your publications and other assessments.