On Jan. 22, 2009, thirty staff members from Badan Standardisasi Nasional (BSN), the National Standardization Agency of Indonesia, participated in a virtual training session with ASTM International.  Topics covered included an overview of ASTM International, the types of standards ASTM develops, ASTM’s committee structure and the ASTM standards development process. 

The virtual training was a result of renewed interest that was expressed during a recent visit of BSN officials to ASTM headquarters in December 2008.  The ensuing virtual training fits well into the goals of ASTM’s memorandum of understanding (MOU) program to improve communication between ASTM International and national standards bodies worldwide and to broaden the global acceptance and use of ASTM International standards.  ASTM’s global cooperation division offers virtual training to its 65 MOU members upon request at no cost.

The virtual training with BSN will continue on Jan. 29, at which time ASTM staff will demonstrate the vast resources available on ASTM’s Web site and its electronic tools for standards development.  Plans are also under way to hold a third session during a visit from ASTM’s Vice President of Global Cooperation Teresa Cendrowska to BSN headquarters in February.  During this third virtual meeting, a technical topic of importance to the Indonesian industry will be discussed with the assistance of an ASTM technical committee member joining virtually from the United States.

For more information about ASTM’s MOU training, please contact Jim Olshefsky, ASTM director of external relations, at jolshefs@astm.org, or visit the Global Cooperation section of the ASTM Web site at www.astm.org/GLOBAL.

Jan09