Standards as a bridge between education and society

Bram Rotthier on why standards development belongs in higher education

Bram Rotthier is head of training in Energy Technology at Odisee University College and a driving force behind international standards development around light electric vehicles. From that dual role, he sees a clear link between education and standards. "For me, standards development is a service to society," he says. "And that's exactly why it belongs in higher education."

"Standards development is a social mission"

As a researcher and teacher, Bram believes that standards deserve much more attention within universities and colleges. "In academia in Belgium, standards development is really a challenge," he says. "It is important that they are involved, but I know very few colleagues who are actively involved. Which is a shame, because it fits perfectly within one of the core missions of colleges and universities."

"Actually, we have 3 core tasks. That is research, education and service. Standards development for me is a form of service to society," Bram said. "Standards have a social purpose. The research we do also translates toward service."

Students need to understand what a standard does

As head of training, he makes it a point to teach classes on standards development every year. "I think it's important for higher education students to have a good understanding of how a standard is created, what the value of a standard is, and when it can be legislative."

This is not just relevant to engineers. "Anyone who may have to deal with regulations or technical requirements within their job should understand how standards work," he explains. "They are the basis for regulations, but also for market access, product development, safety and sustainability."

"Standards development is not evident in higher education"

Yet the reality is that standards development is often missing from the curriculum. "Within very many courses, this is not a priority" says Bram. "I see that as a major shortcoming."

Even within universities, professors are judged little for their contribution to standards development. "What are they mainly appreciated for? Those are publications, research projects and so on. Standards development is not."

According to Bram, this is a missed opportunity. "Standards are not a purely technical matter. They have an important impact on society. By integrating them into education, you raise awareness about them."

Academic view essential in committees

He also sees the added value of academic involvement in the committees on which he serves. "The academic view is really important. They can bring a certain objectivity and guard the broader picture."

But participation is not free. "Fortunately, I can finance my participation through the non-profit organization LEVA-EU. Because standards development is expensive: you mostly have to pay to participate, and on top of that there are travel expenses."

That barrier makes it difficult to get educational institutions excited about active participation. "Of the universities that I know participate in standards development, they usually do so through research project budgets."

Still, he continues to believe in the role of higher education. "If we want universities to participate from a social understanding, that should also be encouraged. For companies, it is often much clearer what the return on investment is. For colleges and universities right now, it mostly depends on the belief and commitment of individuals."

"The NBN Edu portal helps narrow the gap"

To bring standards development closer to education, Bram points out the importance of accessible information and tools. "Not every teacher or student knows where to start. That's why it's good that there are initiatives like the NBN Edu portal."

The NBN Edu portal provides free access to Belgian standards for students and teachers in higher education. As a teacher, Bram is very pleased with the free access to the NBN Edu portal, where more than 40,000 standards, always in the latest version, are available.

In addition to the Edu portal, free teaching materials, e-learnings and information sessions with practical examples are available. This makes it easier to integrate standards into training courses, projects or research work.

"If we want students to make conscious choices about quality, safety and sustainability later, they need to learn today what standards are and why they matter," concludes Bram.

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