Key issues related to the accreditation of academic laboratories

This report summarizes the authors' experience with the implementation of a quality management system according to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard for the purpose of accrediting the testing laboratories at the research centre of the University of Warsaw. Accreditation of these laboratories was an extremely complex process because of the specific conditions prevailing in university facilities. Nevertheless, the successfully completed process of accreditation has many benefits, which we would like to share. Beyond the initial motivation being one of the project indicators of the established research centre, important are improvement of laboratory organisation, implementation of quality concepts and culture over various activity of the university as well as the strengthening of credibility of the measurement service. Operating accredited laboratories within the university becomes also a great chance to strengthen students' competences by including the knowledge and experience on quality system within an academic curriculum, enriching the competence of students before they would enter the job market.