Ag-Lab project Newsletter #3
May 2019
First 18 months of the Ag-Lab project have been completed!
Results so far...
After 18 months the outcomes of the Ag-Lab project are the following:
- Development and validation of the training courses for master students devoted to the laboratory practice in the field of veterinary medicine, food technologies, agronomy and animal husbandry;
- Launching of the pilot courses for master students at MD, UA and GE universities;
- Set-up of the long-distance learning Ag-Lab "Moodle" portal;
- Purchase of equipment ;
- Development of the training programme for the post-diploma courses for acting laboratories staff;
- Implementation of the quality strategy under the coordination of the Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences;
- Carrying out of the technical work for the Web-portal;
- Different dissemination actions: publications, TV programmes, exhibitions (LabComplex in UA), film in GE.
1st Ag-Lab “Expert” mission
The first expert mission was held in Kyiv in March 2019 whereby Robert Gerard from VetAgroSup. Lyon presented the theme: “Risk management in the laboratory, International (French) standardized method for temperature measurement, equipment calibration and receiving of new staff members”
The fourth Steering Committee meeting of the Ag-Lab project took place in Lyon, France from 14th to 15th April 2019.
The Steering Committee comprised members from 19 countries
It took place at VetAgroSup Veterinary Campus in Lyon
And it summarised the last 6 months of the project
Ag-Lab video presenting all partners!
This was preceded by a “Study visit” for 13 partner members at Vet AgroSup Lyon’s Veterinary Campus from 8-12 April:
The training sessions were held in two laboratories: the metrology laboratory of VetAgroSup and the Departmental veterinary reference laboratory.
Laboratory practice and training activities in Partner Countries
State Centre of agricultural products certification and expertise, Ukraine:
December 2018: training for staff: "Updated ISO17025: 2017 standard. The calculation of the uncertainty of the test. Calibration of measuring equipment. Internal audit in the laboratory "
December 2018: training for laboratories of enterprises of Volyn region: "Internal audit. Calibration of measuring equipment. Introducing the new version of ISO17025: 2017. Implementation in the laboratories of elevators of the quality system ".
February 2019 and March 2019: training in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for an extended audience of specialists in elevators: "Internal audit. Calibration of measuring equipment. Introducing the new version of ISO17025: 2017. Implementation in the laboratories of elevators of the quality system ".
February 2019: 2 workshops for 1-3 year students of the National University of Food Technologies (NUKHT) were held on the subject: "Introduction to the testing laboratory. Modern equipment".
The support for Master students in carrying out the experiments for writing of diploma papers on the topic: "Food Safety, Detection of Falsifications in Food Products (Dairy Industry)".
March 2019: workshop for Master students of NUBiP, of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine on the topic: "Chromatographic Methods of Research".
State Research Institute of Laboratory Diagnostic and veterinary-sanitary expertise, Ukraine
From January 2019: training courses for the 17 specialists of regional laboratories of the State Consumer Protection Service and private laboratories were held at SRILDVSE in the following areas: metrology, microbiological research, GMO determination, chemical and toxicological research.
Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia
LMA has training program and organize trainings for laboratory staff in the following subjects:
Quality Management: ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standards, its history and further development of the standards up to date. It was highlighted the importance of accreditation for laboratory functioning, free trade and increase of export potential. Special highlights were made to the importance of audit, identification of nonconformities and accomplishing the corrective actions. Mentoring on Quality Management will continue within the LMA network and mentorship visits are planned in October and November.
Biosafety and biosecurity: Training was carried to 30 participants of 7 regional laboratories of LMA and 36 participants of first group of Tbilisi Laboratory. The trainings consisted of biosafety and biochemical trainings modules, biosecurity, personal protective equipment (PPE), disinfection and decontamination methods, emergency situation management and fire safety and others. As a result, such trainings gave participants necessary skills, expertise and confidence in regards to biosafety matters.
Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture has singed memorandum with Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU). Based on this memorandum regular bases laboratory is hosting Students from TSU for training in laboratory techniques. Laboratory also is providing trainings for quality management and Biosafety and biosecurity trainings.
Republic veterinary diagnostic centre of Moldova
Training for its staff on internal audit: goals and objectives of internal audit, drawing up an audit program, staffing an internal audit team, conducting the audit itself, and determining the cause of nonconformities. Identification of corrective actions, preparation of an audit report.
Training for its staff on the topic: Metrology in the laboratory.
The students from the State agrarian university of Moldova were trained on the following topics: “Requirements for laboratory personnel”; “Sampling for research and their preparation for microbiological and chemical testing”. The scientific research is conducted by SAUM students at the Republican Veterinary Diagnostic Center on the quality of eggs.
Project Dissemination
The Ag-Lab project has already been disseminated through different seminars and conferences held at partner universities, Information days, events organized by Erasmus+ offices, TV programs, publications and through partner university web sites and social media.
The new Ag-Lab website will be available shortly…
Project Work for the next 6 months: May – October 2019
- Active work on the web-portal and distance-learning platform by all partners;
- Edition of the Manual devoted to the laboratory practice by 30th September 2019;
- Student mobility to the EU: The 4-week training programmes: WUELS, Poland: 3 – 28.06.2019, UniTE, Italy: 26.08 – 20.09.2019, VetAgroSup, France: August 2019, UL, Slovenia: September 2019;
- Training Sessions: 1-week training for universities teachers and acting laboratory staff in the EU is planned for : WUELS – PCR, sensory analysis (3-7.06), UniTE – food technologies (20-24.05), UL – animal husbandry and agronomy (September).
- Two more expert missions: Dr. Manuel Sergi from UniTE will be in Kiev, 13 – 15 May: Validation of the Liquid and Gas chromatography high performance method and Dr. Dario Compagnone from UniTE will be in Tbilisi, 13-15 May: Organic pollutants.
Another training session and the 5th Steering Committee meeting are planned for 21 – 25 October 2019 in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Project Coordinator : Dr Marija Klopčič
Email: marija.klopcic@bf.uni-lj.si
Website: http://ag-lab.isle.eummena.org
Location: University of Ljubljana, Congress Square, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Phone: +386 1 3203 855
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgLabProject/
Twitter: @AgLabProject