1. Standardization literacy
ETSI approach to Education about Standardization
Edited and presented by Hermann Brand
© ETSI All rights reserved

2. Agenda Why standardization literacy in ICT?
Standardization is easy/not easy
The ETSI approach
Working with academic members
Knowledge versus soft skills
Issues for consideration and recommendations

3. Why standardization literacy?
All ICT products are based on standards (de-jure, de-facto)
Commercialization of new ICT must result in standardization, however, not all ICT have to be standardized
ICT drives innovation in more and more sectors
More stakeholders in future standardization - need to be literates in standardization

4. Standardization is easy? Isn’t it? What you can see…
Delegates of stakeholders meet,
make written contributions,
discuss, draft and agree on best solutions,
make decisions,
publish;
all of it according to due process and bylaws
voluntary, open, transparent, fair, consensual

5. Dimensions of ICT standards education
Obvious subjects to be taught include
Technology: Technical standards codify state-of-the-art technologies
Process and bylaws: Directives, Rules of Procedures and Technical Working Procedures
Business: Standardization is a business/market development tool
Policy: Standardization supports policy making

6. Standardization isn’t easy? Is it?
What you cannot see!

7. Standardisation isn’t easy? Is it?
Its a timing problem (life cycles). There is a window of opportunity.
Technology convergence and competing standardized technologies
Its cooperation in order to compete (“co-opetition”)
Consensus may be difficult to achieve (different interests)
Related to Soft-skills rather than knowledge

8. Interests! Competitive advantage!
“We must clearly understand the fundamental law of standards development which is that standards are never neutral…
They reflect the strengths and innovations of those who offer them to the committees…
Not participating in standards abdicates the decision-making to the competition, whether it be by company or nation”.
William J. Hudson, President Amp Inc. World Standards Day, 1995

9. ETSI approach: open up to academia and work with academic members
ETSI has 777 members, from 62 countries, and 5 continents

10. Encourage usage of standards and help to get involved in standardization
EXAMPLES
ETSI standards can be downloaded free of charge
Technical universities make use of ETSI standards (e.g. mobile communications, smart cards, ...)
Teach how to develop standards (ETSI Seminar twice a year)
Subsidize membership fees for universities and public research bodies
ETSI organizes/hosts open workshops/confs
Ease participation (as a Guest, remote)
Offer internships and support PhD students

11. Some issues for consideration (1)
Different cultures of standardization
In different regions of the world
Formal (recognized by governmental body) versus informal (industry associations)
Different needs of different sectors
Education is more than promotion
Not about selling an SDO
Not about presenting oneself as best of all

12. Some issues for consideration (2)
Standardization is not a science, but a practise, like management
A canonical body of standardization knowledge does not exist, but has to be developed
Soft skills have to be developed through training on the job

13. Recommendations
Free access to standards to help students to become standards users
Dual education about standardization necessary
Teaching of knowledge: cooperate to develop a canonical body of knowledge about standardization
Training of soft-skills: reduce barriers for practical involvement to support learning by doing

14. Thank you for your attention!
ETSI website (
General public information
Free standards download
ETSI portal (
Easy access to data for each technical body
Working documents
ETSI applications and databases
Work Programme (
Project Officer Workshop, , Brussels