On the 4 th to 5th of July 2019, in the laboratories of the University of Warsaw Biological and Chemical Research Centre and the Faculty of Geology of the University of Warsaw, an took place, during which an annual assessment in the supervision process was carried out. The University of Warsaw is accredited by the Polish Center for Accreditation of testing laboratories since 2014. Accredited laboratories providing services in the field of chemical substances: water, soil, food, chemicals and physicochemical measurements. The following laboratories are supervising the process: Analytical Expert Center – prof. dr hab. Ewa Bulska (CNBCh UW); Laboratory of Biogeochemistry and Environmental Protection – dr hab. Małgorzata Suska-Malawska, prof. UW (CNBCh UW); Laboratory of Structural and Physico-Chemical Research – prof. dr hab. Aleksandra Misicka-Kęsik (CNBCh, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw) and the Environmental Laboratory of Low-temperature Scanning Electron Microscopy Cryo-SEM – dr Emilia Wójcik (Faculty of Geology, University of Warsaw).
This year’s evaluation was unique due to the system implementation ensuring quality in accordance with the revised ISO/IEC 17025 standard and changes in the organizational structure related to the appointment of a Quality Representative.
The team of auditors of the Polish Center for Accreditation, as part of the assessment of compliance with the PN-EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018-02 standard, also possessing competences in the scope of accreditation. The high competences of the research staff and the very good equipment and organization of the laboratories have been recognized as the strengths of our laboratories. The PCA auditors paid attention to the very large involvement and the initiation of the systemic activity of the Quality Representative, and they appreciated the ability to operate university processes to the new requirements.