Programme
One Day One Topic Seminar (OOS)
20 October 2026 • Full-day session
Theme: Competency, Risk Management and Quality Culture in Forensic Science
The OOS seminar will focus on the role of competency and quality culture in strengthening forensic science delivery, with particular emphasis on quality professionals.
The programme will explore:
- The role and responsibilities of quality professionals within forensic organisations
- The definition and assessment of competence (knowledge, skills, and responsibilities)
- The development and implementation of competency frameworks
- Approaches to managing competence within quality management systems
- The role of leadership and organisational culture in supporting quality
- Practical approaches to fostering and measuring a strong quality culture
The seminar will include:
Participants will have the opportunity to exchange experiences and identify practical approaches applicable to their own organisations.
Detailed agenda
Tuesday, 20 October 2026
Competency and Quality Culture focus: qualification and competency of quality professionals; focusing on the QMS.
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 08:30 – 09:00 | Registration |
| 09:00 – 09:15 | Welcome and Introduction to the Seminar |
| 09:15 – 09:30 | The Role of Quality Professionals |
| 09:30 – 10:00 | What Does “Competence” Mean for Quality Professionals? |
| 10:00 – 10:40 | Workshop 1: Current Competency for Quality Roles |
| 10:40 – 11:00 | COFFEE BREAK |
| 11:00 – 11:20 | Workshop panel output |
| 11:20 – 11:50 | Case Study 1: Building a Competency Programme for Quality Staff |
| 11:50 – 12:10 | Demonstrating Professional Competence: Lessons from the NRGD Approach |
| 12:10 – 13:10 | LUNCH |
| 13:10 – 13:30 | Quality Leadership |
| 13:30 – 13:50 | Quality Culture – what does good look like? |
| 13:50 – 14:10 | A Senior Leaders retrospective on embracing the Quality Culture |
| 14:10 – 14:50 | Workshop 2: Fostering a Quality Culture |
| 14:50 – 15:10 | BREAK |
| 15:10 – 15:30 | Workshop panel output |
| 15:30 – 15:50 | How does an Accreditation Body “feel” the Quality Culture in an organisation |
| 15:50 – 16:20 | Panel discussion |
| 16:20 – 16:30 | Slido – What is the role of the Quality Professional |
| 16:30 – 16:40 | Conclusions and Key Takeaways |
| 16:40 – 16:50 | Satisfaction survey Slido |
QCLG Meeting
21–22 October 2026 • One-and-a-half-day meeting
The QCLG meeting will build on the themes introduced during the OOS and focus on the practical implementation of quality management systems in forensic laboratories.
Key topics will include:
- Risk management as a foundation of quality management systems
- Application of risk-based thinking in daily practice
- Validation and verification: expectations, challenges, and practical approaches
- Management of non-conformances and root cause analysis
- Risks to impartiality and how to manage them
- Business continuity and resilience
- Emerging topics such as the role of artificial intelligence in quality management
The programme will include:
The structure is designed to ensure a balance between strategic discussion and practical application, with a strong emphasis on participant engagement.
Detailed agenda
Wednesday, 21 October 2026
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 09:00 – 09:05 | Welcome & Introduction |
| 09:05 – 09:20 | Session on QCC and updates |
| 09:20 – 09:40 | Risk Management: From Concept to Daily Practice |
| 09:40 – 10:10 | Method Validation & Verification – What is Enough? |
| 10:10 – 10:50 | Workshop 1 – Challenges in validation management |
| 10:50 – 11:10 | BREAK |
| 11:10 – 11:30 | Workshop panel output |
| 11:30 – 11:50 | Validation of qualitative methods |
| 11:50 – 12:10 | Risk assessment in non-conformances |
| 12:10 – 12:25 | Guideline on Risk Management |
| 12:25 – 12:35 | Group photo |
| 12:35 – 13:35 | LUNCH |
| 13:35 – 13:55 | Risk based considerations in audit planning |
| 13:55 – 14:15 | Managing the risks to Impartiality |
| 14:15 – 14:55 | Workshop 2: What risks to impartiality have you identified and how do you manage them |
| 14:55 – 15:15 | BREAK |
| 15:15 – 15:35 | Workshop panel output |
| 15:35 – 16:05 | The end users understanding and perception of risk in Forensic Science: Court and Public Prosecutor’s Office perspective. |
| 16:05 – 16:25 | Business Continuity Management – A practical example from the NFI |
| 16:25 – 16:50 | AI in Quality Management – An update since the 2025 OOS |
| 16:50 – 17:00 | Conclusions and Key Takeaways |
Thursday, 22 October 2026
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 09:00 – 09:05 | Welcome |
| 09:05 – 09:35 | Root Cause Analysis Tools |
| 09:35 – 10:15 | Workshop 1 – RCA |
| 10:15 – 10:35 | BREAK |
| 10:35 – 10:55 | Workshop panel output |
| 10:55 – 11:15 | Multisite Root Cause Analysis – A practical Example from France |
| 11:15 – 11:45 | Managing Risk in Innovation and Change: Lessons from High-Performance Industries |
| 11:45 – 12:00 | Conclusions and Key Takeaways |
| 12:00 – 12:10 | Satisfaction survey – Slido |
| 12:10 – 13:10 | Lunch |
| 13:10 | Close |
Both the OOS and the QCLG are open to anyone with an interest in forensic quality management.