The QuISP Alumni Network, established in 2019 by the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), continues to grow as a dynamic global platform for quality professionals who have completed the Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development (QuISP) blended learning course. Over the past 16 years, more than 228 experts from quality infrastructure (QI) institutions, ministries of trade, chambers of commerce, and trade promotion organizations have been trained, shaping a strong and diverse community dedicated to advancing QI worldwide.
What distinguishes this network is its participatory spirit, a platform created for the alumni, with the alumni, and by the alumni. This has been jointly developed through continued cooperation between the alumni moderators, who all participated in a QuISP course, and the PTB International Cooperation team, consisting of the external experts Heike Koch and Graham Talbot and the internal team members Kira Wolf and Rebecca Bahrmann. Special appreciation is extended to PTB for its continuous support, commitment, and dedication to strengthening the QuISP Alumni Network and empowering its global community.
After more than two years of exclusively online coordination, the QuISP alumni moderators Émilie Feutcha from Cameroon, Jennifer Gache from Kenya, Veranika Grushevskaya from Tajikistan, Lomkhosi Mkhonta-Gama from Eswatini, Gloria Hanna from Lebanon and Emeka Emmanuel Ekuma from Nigeria met in Braunschweig with the whole PTB QUISP team from 1-4 December 2025 for their first face-to-face workshop. The objectives were clear – to strengthen collaboration, review progress, and develop an action plan that will guide the network into the future.
The QuISP Alumni Network Team with the Head of PTB’s International Cooperation Group, Dr. Marion Stoldt, who is holding the QuISP Alumni Network gift plate that was handed over to PTB by the network moderators. © PTB/Gloria Hanna
A close-up of the QuISP Alumni Network plate. © PTB/Rebecca Bahrmann
The four-day programme combined expert-led sessions with moderator-driven activities. Participants revisited the QuISP vision, explored digital tools for network interaction, and reviewed participation trends across regional webinars and activities. A comprehensive Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis helped identify strong points, challenges, and future opportunities, paving the way for targeted improvements in online engagement and knowledge exchange.
Building on these discussions, the moderators worked collaboratively to transform ideas into concrete short- and long-term actions for the updated QuISP Alumni Network Action Plan. The workshop also integrated competency-building sessions, self-evaluation exercises, and team-dynamics activities aimed at strengthening cooperation and leadership within the moderator team.
Gloria Hanna presenting a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis of the QuISP Alumni Network. © PTB/Gloria Hanna
The final day featured a series of expert inputs from PTB specialists and international contributors, covering key QI themes such as legal frameworks for future-proof systems, value chains, the Global Quality Infrastructure Index, and national quality policies. The workshop closed with a structured wrap-up session and agreement on how to maintain momentum.
This long-awaited in-person gathering reaffirmed the importance of collaboration, shared ownership, and strategic planning within the QuISP Alumni Network. With renewed energy and a strengthened action plan, the network is prepared to move forward confidently.
Cover image © PTB/Fotografie
