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NFI and NFSTC Cooperate on International Forensic Knowledge Sharing

News item | 24-04-2013 | 16:45

The Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) and the National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC) in the United States have agreed to cooperate in order to facilitate the sharing of forensic knowledge at an international level.

On 23 April 2013, Tjark Tjin-A-Tsoi (CEO of NFI) and Kevin Lothridge (CEO of NFSTC) signed a cooperation agreement at the Dutch Embassy in Washington, setting out working agreements to encourage research and broad knowledge-sharing at the international level. NFI CEO Tjark Tjin-A-Tsoi: "The cooperation with NFSTC fits in with NFI’s ambition to organise international forensic training courses and study programmes. Due to the rapid technological progress in the world of forensics, there is a great demand for knowledge and skills from users of forensic services”.

In concrete terms, the cooperation boils down to the following elements:

  • The NFI and NFSTC will make their respective training facilities available to each other.
  • The total number of courses and programmes offered by the NFI and NFSTC will be increased by the provision of joint training courses and study programmes.
  • The NFI and NFSTC will be able to organise training courses and study programmes on specific subjects for each other abroad.
  • The NFI and NFSTC will jointly develop new training courses and study programmes for organisations in the criminal justice system and for other government agencies.

Within the NFI, the NFI Academy is responsible for the transfer of knowledge and expertise to parties in and outside the criminal justice system. The agreement also covers possible cooperation in the area of research and development and technology. “The cooperation with the NFI gives us the possibility to develop our joint expertise and provision of services even further, and to support the international forensic sector in an innovative manner,” saidKevin Lothridge, CEO of NFSTC.

The agreement between NFI and NFSTC came about in close cooperation with the Dutch Embassy in the US. The NFI and the embassy have worked together intensively on establishing cooperation with American parties in the area of forensic science.