How should we measure economic progress
On Thursday, 19 May 2016, one day before the World Metrology Day, which is celebrated on 20 May, in the House of Journalists in Foksal Street, took place a meeting with the new appointed President of the Central Office of Measures (GUM), Dr. Włodzimierz Lewandowski.
On Thursday, 19 May 2016, one day before the World Metrology Day, which is celebrated on 20 May, in the House of Journalists in Foksal Street, took place a meeting with the new appointed President of the Central Office of Measures (GUM), Dr. Włodzimierz Lewandowski. The debate, organized by the Polish Journalists Association, took place under the slogan "How should we measure economic progress?". The discussion was preceded by the presentation of Dr. Lewandowski. It was dedicated to the problems and chances of progress in the field of metrology in Poland.
The President of GUM dedicated the big part of his presentation to the analysis of the current situation of the Polish metrology. He pointed out the main shortages and factors suppressing the progress of metrology in Poland. At the same time, the new head of Polish metrology outlined plans of the reform aimed to create institutional framework and intensify research needed for the progress of economy. The main goal of the reform is the transformation of the character of the Polish metrology system. Now, the scientific metrology will be a new priority. The changes in this area will consist in movement away from the typical administrative structure in favor of creating centre for science and research for the benefit of the Polish industry. The main point of the transformation will be decommissioning of the Central Office of Measures. In place of GUM there will be created a new institute, temporary called "the Polish Centre of Metrology (PCM)". The intention of the reformers is to create a strong centre which will conduct research. The PCM will not only maintain and develop the new generations of measurement standards but also closely cooperate with other institutions in the area of inventing of new technologies. Such organizational shape should also make possible the better allocation and rising of the founds for metrological research.
From the point of view of his former position of a main physicist, held many years at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Sèvres, Paris, and his involvement in creation of the Polish Space Agency, Dr. Lewandowski pointed out that the progress of the Polish space research programme and the active participation in the international programmes "Galileo" and "Copernicus" is impossible without creation of the appropriate metrology development facilities. The establishment of the Polish Metrology Centre will correspond with these needs and world trends. Many countries created their scientific metrology centers in the end of the 19th century. Without them the famous global companies had not been able to succeed internationally. In the same way are acting the rising economies of the Asian and Pacific region.
The second pillar of the metrology system will remain, like before, the legal metrology and metrological supervision of the market. It is foreseen to create the Central Office for Legal Metrology to carry out this scope of tasks. The existing local administration of measures will be involved in this process as well.
During the meeting the participants could see the presentation of the innovative measuring instruments which are produced in Poland by small and medium-sized enterprises. The output capacities of the Polish companies in the field of measuring instruments and future plans were presented to the participants of the meeting as well. In the discussion after the presentation the participants agreed that metrology contributes not only to improving industry but also to the progress in other areas of social life, such as medicine, security and defense, education, modern agriculture, services and environment protection.