International Summer School on Quality Assurance 2025

From 6 to 19 July, the International Summer School on Quality Assurance took place in Křtiny, Czech Republic. Before starting their second year in the EACH program, our students Maitane Mendoza and Quoc Huy Tran participated in the summer school and will look back on their experience in this blog post.

Maitane: This year, I had the amazing opportunity to participate in the Summer School in Křtiny, Czech Republic, and it was a truly motivating and inspiring experience. For two intensive weeks, we attended different classes taught by experts in their fields, covering topics such as metrology, quality control, validation, and auditing, all aligned with the ISO 17025 standard.

The knowledge I gained from my first-year metrology course in the master’s program at EACH, University of Tartu was extremely helpful. It allowed me to actively contribute with valuable ideas, enrich discussions, and, most importantly, take my understanding to the next level.

One of the highlights was working on a practical project, where we applied everything we had learned during the program. This hands-on experience added a lot of value and made the learning process even more engaging. Another remarkable aspect of the Summer School was its multicultural environment. Participants came from all over the world, bringing diverse professional backgrounds and perspectives. Collaborating in such an environment was both exciting and enriching; it’s amazing how much you can learn from others when working as a team.

Outside the classroom, we also had the chance to enjoy excursions to breathtaking landscapes and historical sites in the Czech Republic, making unforgettable memories and creating valuable friendships. Without a doubt, this was a challenging yet incredibly rewarding experience that contributed significantly to my academic and personal growth.

Quoc: Spending two weeks at the Summer School in Křtiny was a truly rewarding experience. It gave me an exceptional opportunity to learn from and exchange ideas with leading and highly knowledgeable professors from EURACHEM. I gained a much deeper understanding of various approaches for calculating the uncertainty of testing results, as well as how to set guard bands for decision rules – an essential aspect of conformity assessment.

Thanks to my previous coursework in Metrology in Chemistry and Quality Systems at the University of Tartu, I was able to quickly grasp the lectures, confidently apply uncertainty calculations, and perform practical exercises with high precision. During the course, I met like-minded peers from all over the world who shared a passion for ISO/IEC 17025. Through group activities, I also got to learn more about different cultures and traditions. In addition, the experience of staying at Křtiny Castle, enjoying Czech cuisine, and visiting the breathtaking caves made this journey unforgettable. From the bottom of my heart, if I had the chance to return to this summer school, I would absolutely say yes.

Finally, to all young scientists out there: don’t hesitate to apply – many great experiences are waiting for you!