Margarete Schramböck, Austrian-Standards-President
Walter Barfuß © APA/Krisztian Juhasz
Standards are ubiquitous in our lives. However, we usually only notice them when they are not in place. For example, they ensure that paper fits into the printer, bicycles do not fall apart, clothing sizes remain unchanged, data can be exchanged in networks or Corona masks live up to their promises. Moreover, standards do not only make life safer and easier, but they also help boost the economy:
100 years – language of business
“Standards have been, so to speak, the ‘language of business’ and have ensured that business partners understand each other for 100 years. They simplify access to international markets and define requirements for products, services and procedures. Most recently, the COVID-19 crisis has shown how important the role is that standards can also play in addressing critical situations. By making urgently needed standards on protective masks available to relevant stakeholders for free, Austrian Standards supported the domestic production of personal protective equipment,” explained Economic Minister Margarete Schramböck during the opening ceremony of “100 Years of Austrian Standards”.
100 years – international network
With 183 committees and around 4,500 experts developing or updating around 2,000 new international standards every year, Austria has the highest rate of experts by European comparisons. Austrian Standard’ President Walter Barfuß adds: “Right from the start, international networking in standardization has been a decisive factor for Austria. We were a founding member of relevant transnational institutions, such as ISO and CEN. Based on this international orientation, we have been able to build a global network during the past 100 years and have achieved that Austrian experts contribute to more than 90 percent of European and international technical committees and Austria’s influence is clearly discernible in the European market.”
Topics of the future and relevance for society
“100 Years of Austrian Standards – Shaping the Future” shows what standards actually are, where they can be found, which role they play in our society and how they have developed in the course of the past 100 years. The exhibition designed together with Ars Electronica and Come In presents the history of standardization, provides insights into selected standards and highlights topics of the future in numerous interactive installations.
Michael Mondria, Managing Director of Ars Electronica: “Standardization has many different dimensions and is characterized by diversity. We wanted to reflect this great variety in this exhibition. Our objective was to offer an informative, innovative and aesthetic insight into different standards. Our work has been guided by the concepts of innovation, safety, trust and diversity.” The exhibition is shown free of charge at the House of Standards at Heinestraße 38 until the end of 2021.
100 Years of Austrian Standards – Shaping the Future
Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday: 08.00 a.m. to 04.00 p.m. and
Friday: 08.00 a.m. to 02.30 p.m.
House of Standards, Heinestraße 38, 1020 Vienna, Austria
Admission is free. Booking required for groups!
Contact: [email protected]
Pictures: APA-Fotoservice
More informations: www.100jahreaustrianstandards.at/en
