European Institutions Research Articles

Plasma collection and supply in Europe: Proceedings of an International Plasma and Fractionation Association and European Blood Alliance symposium.

At the symposium organized by the International Plasma and Fractionation Association and European Blood Alliance, experts presented their views and experiences showing that the public sector and its blood establishments may strengthen the collection and increase the supply of plasma using the right strategies in plasma donor recruitment, retention and protection, scaling-up collection by increasing the number of donors within improved/new infrastructure, supportive funding, policies and legislation as well as harmonization of clinical guidelines and the collaboration of all stakeholders. Such approaches should contribute to increased plasma collection in Europe to meet patients' needs for plasma-derived medicinal products, notably immunoglobulins and avoid shortages. Overall, presentations and discussions confirmed that European non-profit transfusion institutions are committed to increasing the collection of plasma for fractionation from unpaid donors through dedicated programmes as well as novel strategies and research.

Open Educational Resources (OERs) at European Higher Education Institutions in the Field of Library and Information Science during COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of this study is to map the practices regarding open educational resources’ (OERs) development and implementation at European higher education institutions (HEIs) in the field of library and information science (LIS) during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the challenges and obstacles to their full and optimal utilization, both during crisis situations and beyond. A systematic literature review and questionnaire-based survey yielded results from 56 European LIS schools/departments (n = 56). Statistical analysis was performed using the R programming language, and descriptive statistics were used to quantify the data sets. The results have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic served as an impetus for the adoption of OERs, particularly in the context of digital education (DE) and remote learning. However, there is still a lack of awareness of the many benefits and opportunities they provide to higher education, as evidenced by the fact than less than half LIS schools/departments used OERs. Certain issues were identified, such as the lack of institutional policies regarding OERs, inadequate peer-review of OERs, and, in most cases, the absence of monitoring and evaluation practices for OERs. The results and insights from this study can be used to improve all aspects of OERs’ implementation and thus accelerate their adoption, both with regard to LIS schools/departments and other fields. Further research into the topic through interviews and focus groups should provide a deeper understanding of opportunities, challenges and practices surrounding the adoption of OERs in the field of LIS education.

HBsAg protein composition and clinical outcomes in chronic hepatitis D and variations across HBeAg-negative chronic HBsAg carriers

HBsAg proteins are useful to identify HBV inactive carriers (ICs), but data on chronic hepatitis D (CHD) are scarce. This study aimed to describe HBsAg composition in CHD, its changes during the evolution, and the potential association with clinical outcomes. In addition, we assess the composition of HBsAg across different HBV genotypes and validate previous results on HBsAg proteins in an independent HBV cohort. Quantitative HBsAg, medium HBsAg proteins (MHBs), and large HBsAg proteins (LHBs) were measured in two cohorts. The first cohort consisted of patients with CHD. A cross-sectional study of samples from two European institutions (N =46) was conducted. Outcomes were assessed in a retrospective-prospective study of those patients with a follow-up of >1 year (n=36), and the longitudinal evolution of HBsAg proteins in those with samples >5 years apart (n=12) was analysed. The second cohort consisted of patients with HBeAg-negative HBV, and a cross-sectional study was performed (N=141). Forty-one (89%) patients with CHD had detectable HDV-RNA, and the presence of HDV-RNA was associated with higher LHBs proportion (p=0.010). Baseline MHBs (p=0.051) and MHBs proportion (p=0.086) tended to be higher in those developing clinical outcomes (9/36, 25%) after a median follow-up of 5.9 years. Patients in which HDV-RNA became spontaneously undetectable during follow-up (5/31, 16.1%) tended to present lower MHBs proportion (p= 0.085). In the longitudinal study, changes in LHBs proportion were observed (p=0.041), whereas MHBs proportion remained stable (p=0.209). Regarding HBV, ICs showed lower LHBs proportion (p=0.027). LHBs and MHBs differed significantly according to HBV genotype, regardless of the HBV phase. Patients with CHD with detectable HDV-RNA presented higher LHBs proportion than those with undetectable HDV-RNA. A trend toward having higher baseline MHBs proportion was observed in patients who developed clinical outcomes or remained with detectable HDV-RNA. This study validates the different HBsAg composition in HBV ICs and reveals the HBV-genotype influence in HBsAg composition. The composition of HBsAg in chronic hepatitis D differs in patients with detectable and undetectable HDV viral load and may help predict the likelihood of achieving undetectable HDV viraemia and the development of clinical events such as decompensation. The composition of the surface antigen is also useful to distinguish inactive carriers of HBV, and it varies according to HBV genotype.

Industrial, Collaborative and Mobile Robotics in Latin America: Review of Mechatronic Technologies for Advanced Automation

Mechatronics and Robotics (MaR) have recently gained importance in product development and manufacturing settings and applications. Therefore, the Center for Space Emerging Technologies (C-SET) has managed an international multi-disciplinary study to present, historically, the first Latin American general review of industrial, collaborative, and mobile robotics, with the support of North American and European researchers and institutions. The methodology is developed by considering literature extracted from Scopus, Web of Science, and Aerospace Research Central and adding reports written by companies and government organizations. This describes the state-of-the-art of MaR until the year 2023 in the 3 Sub-Regions: North America, Central America, and South America, having achieved important results related to the academy, industry, government, and entrepreneurship; thus, the statistics shown in this manuscript are unique. Also, this article explores the potential for further work and advantages described by robotic companies such as ABB, KUKA, and Mecademic and the use of the Robot Operating System (ROS) in order to promote research, development, and innovation. In addition, the integration with industry 4.0 and digital manufacturing, architecture and construction, aerospace, smart agriculture, artificial intelligence, and computational social science (human-robot interaction) is analyzed to show the promising features of these growing tech areas, considering the improvements to increase production, manufacturing, and education in the Region. Finally, regarding the information presented, Latin America is considered an important location for investments to increase production and product development, taking into account the further proposal for the creation of the LATAM Consortium for Advanced Robotics and Mechatronics, which could support and work on roboethics and education/R+D+I law and regulations in the Region. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-07-04-025 Full Text: PDF

EuroGOOS roadmap for operational coastal downstream services

The EuroGOOS Coastal working group examines the entire coastal value chain from coastal observations to services for coastal users. The main objective of the working group is to review the status quo, identify gaps and future steps needed to secure and improve the sustainability of the European coastal service provision. Within this framework, our white paper defines a EuroGOOS roadmap for sustained “community coastal downstream service” provision, provided by a broad EuroGOOS community with focus on the national and local scale services. After defining the coastal services in this context, we describe the main components of coastal service provision and explore community benefits and requirements through sectoral examples (aquaculture, coastal tourism, renewable energy, port, cross-sectoral) together with the main challenges and barriers to user uptake. Technology integration challenges are outlined with respect to multiparameter observations, multi-platform observations, the land-coast-ocean continuum, and multidisciplinary data integration. Finally, the technological, financial, and institutional sustainability of coastal observing and coastal service provision are discussed. The paper gives special attention to the delineation of upstream and downstream services, public-private partnerships and the important role of Copernicus in better covering the coastal zone. Therefore, our white paper is a policy and practice review providing a comprehensive overview, in-depth discussion and actionable recommendations (according to key short-term or medium-term priorities) on the envisaged elements of a roadmap for sustained coastal service provision. EuroGOOS, as an entity that unites European national operational oceanography centres, research institutes and scientists across various domains within the broader field of operational oceanography, offers to be the engine and intermediary for the knowledge transfer and communication of experiences, best practices and information, not only amongst its members, but also amongst the different (research) infrastructures, institutes and agencies that have interests in coastal oceanography in Europe.

Radical cystectomy in bladder cancer patients previously treated for prostate cancer: Insights from a large European multicentric series

IntroductionPrevious radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer (PCa) might impair feasibility of radical cystectomy (RC) for bladder cancer (BCa). The current study addressed morbidity, operative time (OT), and length of stay (LOS) of RC, within the largest available series of patients with history of previous RP. Materials and methodsAll patients previously submitted to RP for PCa and subsequently submitted to RC for BCa, at six high-volume European institutions between 2010 and 2019, were identified. Presence of either PCa or BCa metastases, RT as primary treatment for PCa, and palliative RC represented exclusion criteria.The quality criteria for accurate and comprehensive reporting of intra- and post-operative surgical outcomes, recommended by the European Association of Urology guidelines, were fulfilled. Multivariable logistic and Poisson regression analyses were performed. ResultsOverall, 140 RC patients with history of RP were identified. After RP, 69 (49%) patients received radiotherapy (RT) for PCa, either in adjuvant (n = 50, 36%) or salvage setting (n = 19, 13%). Median age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index was 6 (IQR 5, 7). Median OT, estimated blood loss and LOS were, respectively, 300 min, 500 ml, and 16 days. Intra-operative transfusions rate was 47% (n = 65). One intra-operative complication occurred (EAUiaiC grade 2, perforation of the rectum managed with immediate repair). Eighty-two (59%) patients experienced a total of 107 post-operative complications during the hospital stay, and seven (5%) patients required hospital readmission. In multivariable regression analyses, RT for PCa was associated with higher risk of post-operative complications (odds ratio 1.82, p = 0.039), longer OT (incidence rate ratio 1.09, p < 0.001), and longer LOS (incidence rate ratio 1.24, p < 0.001). ConclusionsRC in patients with history of RP is feasible, albeit burdened by remarkable morbidity, even in centers of excellence. RT after RP for PCa portends worse surgical outcomes.

Multimodal treatment for resectable neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix.

Non-metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix (NECC) is a rare and aggressive disease. Lacking prospective studies, the optimal multimodal treatment approach has not yet been clearly defined. This study aims to assess the clinical outcomes of patients with non-metastatic NECC treated with surgery and (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy, according to pathologic prognostic factors and multimodal treatments received. We retrospectively examined data from patients with non-metastatic NECC candidate to receive surgery and (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy and discussed at the European Institute of Oncology's Multidisciplinary Neuroendocrine Tumor Board, between January 2003 and December 2021. Primary endpoints were event-free survival and overall survival. A total of 27 consecutive patients were evaluated, 15 with early stage NECC and 12 with a locally advanced NECC. Eight patients received neoadjuvant and 19 adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy; 14 received adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy, half with external-beam radiation therapy alone, and half combined with brachytherapy. No patients progressed or relapsed during (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy. The median event-free survival was 21.1 months and the median overall survival was 33.0 months. Pathological FIGO stage ≥ IIB, adjuvant external-beam radiation therapy with or without brachytherapy emerged as significant and independent prognostic factors for event-free survival. Brachytherapy was also prognostic for overall survival. Non-metastatic NECC requires a multimodal approach, mainly weighted on the FIGO stage. The addition of brachytherapy should be considered, especially in patients with locally advanced disease. Because of the scarcity of robust clinical data, treatment strategy should be discussed in multidisciplinary board, taking into account patient.

Confidentiality-preserving machine learning algorithms for soft-failure detection in optical communication networks

Automated fault management is at the forefront of next-generation optical communication networks. The increase in complexity of modern networks has triggered the need for programmable and software-driven architectures to support the operation of agile and self-managed systems. In these scenarios, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute zero-touch network and service management approach is imperative. The need for machine learning algorithms to process the large volume of telemetry data brings safety concerns as distributed cloud-computing solutions become the preferred approach for deploying reliable communication network automation. This paper’s contribution is twofold. First, we propose a simple yet effective method to guarantee the confidentiality of the telemetry data based on feature scrambling. The method allows the operation of third-party computational services without direct access to the full content of the collected data. Additionally, the effectiveness of four unsupervised machine learning algorithms for soft-failure detection is evaluated when applied to the scrambled telemetry data. The methods are based on factor analysis, principal component analysis, nonlinear principal component analysis, and singular value decomposition. Most dimensionality reduction algorithms have the common property that they can maintain similar levels of fault classification performance while hiding the data structure from unauthorized access. Evaluations of the proposed algorithms demonstrate this capability.

Government debt: the impact of fiscal rules at the European and national level

As Europe and the world surface from the pandemic of 2020–2021, public debt levels have risen substantially, the review of the European Union (EU) economic governance framework is underway and the general escape clause of the stability and growth pact (SGP) is planned to be deactivated at the end of 2023. Against this background, it is important to better understand the dynamics of public debt in the EU. This paper studies how European institutions and sectoral national fiscal rules have affected the formation of public debt. The results suggest that over the last 25 years, the SGP has been an effective tool for lowering government debt levels, at least on average. The establishment of the SGP has been the most effective at lowering government debt, while reforms of the SGP have only had limited effects. The effects of national fiscal rules are heterogenous across different rules and public sector classifications, but it seems that national fiscal rules have at least some effects beyond the SGP in all studied cases. This implies that the EU fiscal framework and EU-level fiscal policies should take into account potential interactions with national fiscal rules and both can be used to increase the effectiveness of fiscal policymaking.

How Icelandic Is French Law? A Few Remarks about the Discovery and Usage of Icelandic Antiquities in French Legal Historiography during the Nineteenth Century

How Icelandic Is French Law? A Few Remarks about the Discovery and Usage of Icelandic Antiquities in French Legal Historiography during the Nineteenth Century

INTERVENTION POLICIES PROPOSED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION TO COMBAT EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING AMONG MIGRANT PUPILS

Currently, in Europe, many young people drop out of school or training before completing secondary education. According to findings from some international research, the average dropout rate is twice as high for immigrant pupils as for native students. In fact, on this front, what emerges from the analysis of the educational achievements of pupils of immigrant origin is that, in most European countries, the educational itinerary of these pupils is characterized by a significant incidence of dropouts, dropouts and delays. In this regard, over the past decades, European institutions have drafted several documents aimed at urging member states to promote, through schools and education, the effective school and social integration of the many pupils of immigrant origin living in member countries. Our examination intends to focus on those documents that offer a fairly comprehensive picture of the positions taken by the European Union not only with regard to the school failure of immigrant pupils, but also with respect to the equally fundamental need to create school paths of integration from early childhood; to promote organic and effective forms of interaction between school and family; and to design specific Courses for learning the national language aimed also at the parents of immigrant pupils.

Marketing authorisations for unmet medical needs: A critical appraisal of regulatory pathways in the European Union

For unmet medical needs, the European Union has established fast-track regulatory pathways for ensuring patients’ access to essential treatments. It is the case of the Conditional Marketing Authorisation (CMA) and the Authorisation under “Exceptional Circumstances” (EXC), which can be granted even if the clinical part of a medicinal product’s dossier is not yet complete. The article aims to discuss the peculiarity of such regulatory pathways and assess the impact of their application on products’ market access and penetration. A review of the regulatory history of medicines authorised with EXC or CMA has been performed on European Institutional databases (e.g., EMA portal, Union Register). Excluding vaccines, 71 CMAs and 51 EXCs were granted in the EU from 2002 and 2006, respectively, to 2022. Most CMAs have been released for the treatment of different types of tumours, while most of EXCs for alimentary tract and metabolism diseases, especially in the paediatric population, addressing unmet medical needs. Therefore, both regulatory pathways are effective for placing on the market essential medicines, preserving the initial positive benefit-risk balance. However, on average, CMAs are converted into “normal” authorisations only after a time which is significantly longer than the provided one-year renewal period, suggesting that such a regulatory pathway is still far from optimized.

Sürdürülebilir Ticaret ve Yeşil Lojistik Konusunda Web of Science (WoS) Veritabanında Yayınlanan Makalelerin Bibliyometrik Analizi

Abstract The purpose of this study to examine the articles regarding the sustainability trade and green logistics and to ensure insight for the state and development of academic research in the relevant fields using bibliometrics analysis. The data were gathered from WoS database to observe the publication trends in the period of 2007-2022. A total of 528 articles were reviewed within the scope of this study. The visualization of the data was carried out through the MAXQDA Analytics Pro. The articles were analyzed under the following sub-headings: distribution of articles by years, frequency of keywords, productivity of institutions and country, performance of the publishers and journals, most preferred research method and top 5 most-cited articles. The findings indicated that the number of publications on relevant fields have increased significantly since 2015. The most publications relevant fields are released and recorded by Asian institutions, which is then followed by European institutions. The most publications on relevant fields are released and supported by Elsevier and MDPI publishing companies. The most publications on relevant fields are released in the Sustainability and Journal of Cleaner Production. Researchers in Europe have already started to pay attention and investigate trade and logistics in the context of sustainability since 2010. Academicians have mostly preferred to utilize quantitative methods during the scientific research. Keywords: Sustainable Trade, Green Logistics, Bibliometrics, WoS, MAXQDA Jel Codes: F10, M10, Q56

Evaluation of the Power Generation Impact for the Mobility of Battery Electric Vehicles

European institutions have decided to ban the sale of Internal Combustion Vehicles (ICEVs) in the EU from 2035. This opens a possible scenario in which, in the not-too-distant future, all vehicles circulating in Europe are likely to be Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). The Spanish vehicle fleet is one of the oldest and has the lowest percentage of BEVs in Europe. The aim of this study is to evaluate the hypothetical scenario in which the current mobility of ICEVs is transformed into BEVs, in the geographical area of the province of Barcelona and in Spain in general. The daily electricity consumption, the required installation capacity of wind and solar photovoltaic energies, and the potential reduction of NOx and particulate matter (PM) emissions are estimated. The daily emission reduction would be about 314 tons of NOx and 17 tons of PM in Spain. However, the estimated investment required in Spain to generate the additional electricity from renewable sources would be enormous (over EUR 25.4 billion), representing, for example, 5.5% of the total national budget in 2022.

Making science for the Portuguese Empire: The Royal Maritime, Military and Geographic Society (1798–1809)

The Sociedade Real Marítima, Militar e Geográfica (Royal Maritime, Military and Geographic Society) was a scientific institution founded in Portugal by the Minister of the Navy, Rodrigo de Sousa Coutinho, in the late eighteenth century. Its advent was contemporary with the rise of hydrographic institutes in several European maritime powers. However, the Royal Maritime, Military and Geographic Society differed from the specialization of those institutions, being deeply involved in determining longitudes and producing good precision hydrographic cartography. Conceived as a multidisciplinary institute gathering scientific and technical knowledge and focusing on overseas and metropolitan territories, it had an intense activity, resulting in a scientific production (unfortunately largely lost) in tune with its foreign counterparts. However, and unlike other European hydrographic institutes, this Portuguese institute had an ephemeral existence.

Developing a Conceptual Framework for Socioeconomic Impact Research in European Cancer Patients: A 'Best-Fit' Framework Synthesis.

Multiple studies have indicated a socioeconomic impact of cancer and cancer care on patients and their families. Existing instruments designed to measure this impact lack consensus in their conceptualization of the issue. Further, various terminologies have been used in the literature (e.g., financial burden, financial hardship, financial stress) without clear definitions and consistent conceptual background. Based on a targeted review of existing models addressing the socioeconomic impact of cancer, our goal was to develop a comprehensive framework from a European perspective. A 'best-fit' framework synthesis was applied. First, we systematically identified existing models to generate a priori concepts. Second, we systematically identified relevant European qualitative studies and coded their results against these a priori concepts. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were predefined and applied thoroughly in these processes. Thematic analysis and team discussions were applied to finalize the (sub)themes in our proposed conceptual framework. Third, we examined model structures and quotes from qualitative studies to explore relationships among (sub)themes. This process was repeated until no further change in (sub)themes and their relationships emerged. Eighteen studies containing conceptual models and seven qualitative studies were identified. Eight concepts and 20 sub-concepts were derived from the included models. After coding the included qualitative studies against the a priori concepts and following discussions among team members, seven themes and 15 sub-themes were included in our proposed conceptual framework. Based on the identified relationships, we categorized themes into four groups: causes, intermediate consequences, outcomes and risk factors. We propose a Socioeconomic Impact Framework based on a targeted review and synthesis of existing models in the field and adapted to the European perspective. Our work contributes as an input to a European consensus project on socioeconomic impact research by an Organization European Cancer Institute (OECI) Task Force.

A 20-Country Comparative Assessment of the Effectiveness of Nutri-Score vs. NutrInform Battery Front-of-Pack Nutritional Labels on Consumer Subjective Understanding and Liking

The incidence of overweight and obesity has generated significant concerns among European consumers and institutions. As part of a set of measures undertaken, the European Union (EU) called for one harmonized mandatory front-of-pack nutritional label (FOPL) to improve consumer food nutritional knowledge and encourage healthier and more informed food choices. Different types of FOPLs, ranging from nutrient-specific labels—such as the NutrInform Battery—to summary labels—such as the Nutri-Score—have been developed and introduced in different markets, reporting different degrees of effectiveness in terms of understanding. The aim of this study is to provide actionable insights by analyzing a specific part of the complex consumers’ decision-making process in food when aided by FOPLs. Adopting a between-subject experiment on a sample of 4560 respondents in 20 EU member countries, the study compares the consumer subjective understanding and liking of two labels currently under examination by the EU bodies, the NutrInform Battery and the Nutri-Score. At an aggregated level, the results show that NutrInform Battery is more effective than Nutri-Score in improving consumer subjective understanding and leads to a higher liking towards the label. A detailed by-country analysis highlights either a superiority or a parity of NutrInform Battery for subjective understanding and liking. Theoretically, this study, through a large panel of respondents, adds the fundamental perspective on subjective understanding, complementing the findings of extant research on objective understanding, and further clarifies the role of liking as a complementary element in the food decision-making process toward heathier and more informed food choices. This might be of significant relevance in providing additional evidence that can be used by policymakers in their attempt toward the selection of a uniform FOPL at EU level.

The Development and Effect of Systemic Hypertension on Clinical and Radiological Outcome in Adult Moyamoya Angiopathy Following Revascularization Surgery: Experience of a Single European Institution.

Patients with Moyamoya Angiopathy (MMA) display structurally altered vessels with decreased cerebral autoregulatory capacity, so aggressive lowering of systemic hypertension may aggravate ischemic symptoms, whereas uncontrolled hypertension may promote hemorrhage. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the role of hypertension in adult MMA patients including long-term analysis of clinical and radiological development. In this single-center retrospective analysis of 137 adult MMA patients with 206 surgically treated hemispheres angiographic images, clinical/operative data were reviewed and scored. Univariate Cox-regression analysis was performed to evaluate hypertension as a predictor for negative angiographic and clinical outcomes following revascularization surgery. A total of 50% of patients were being treated for hypertension prior to the first surgery. Patients with and without hypertension did not differ in terms of age, gender, diagnosis, symptom onset or disease severity (Berlin and Suzuki Grades). Although hypertension did not statistically significantly affect postoperative collaterals, moyamoya vessels or STA-MCA bypass patency, patients with hypertension showed higher rates of bypass patency and better bypass filling compared to those without hypertension. No significant differences in adverse events were found in patients with and without systemic hypertension and the presence of systemic hypertension was not found to predict negative clinical or radiological outcomes. In conclusion, the rate of systemic hypertension in MMA patients appears to be higher than the general population; however, this is not associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications or negative angiographic development following revascularization procedures. Systemic hypertension may also positively influence the rate of bypass patency and filling following revascularization procedures.

The Divergence of Experts’ Views on a Mentor Competence Profile

Aim. The paper focuses on the divergence of views of experts from four European educational institutions on key competences, which would become the basis for a successful performance of a mentor position. They should be taken as the key items of a mentor competence profile. Methods. A panel discussion – specifically, a focus group interview as its alternative form – was used to determine how the experts assessed particular competences of the mentor competence profile, i.e. to identify which competences they considered to be the key ones of the mentor competence profile. The panel discussion was led by six focus groups, members of which were experts representing four different countries from six universities: two from Slovakia and the Czech Republic, and one from Hungary and Serbia. Results. The intention of the conducted panel discussion was to find a common view and consensus on the key competences required for a successful performance of the mentor position. However, the results of the panel discussion showed a significant divergence of the opinions on the fundamental mentor competences depending on the country the experts were from. Differences in the views on the issue examined by experts representing different institutions from the same country also occurred, but proved to be inconclusive. Conclusion. Mentoring is currently considered one of the most important means of developing pedagogical competences of future and novice teachers. The results of the conducted panel discussion may contribute to the creation of a platform on which an adequate professional mentor training can be designed.

On-line Interpreter Accreditation Tests for the Bodies and Institutions of the European Union

Multilingualism being one of the core values of the European Union, EU bodies and institutions rely heavily on the work of interpreters. To select the best candidates, the three biggest institutions organize a common accreditation test for the auxiliary conference interpreters they intend to work with. This paper aims to examine why such an accreditation test is needed by giving an overview of the necessary skills and competences of a professional conference interpreter and by explaining the sub-tasks to be completed during the examinations. Then it presents how new technologies were gradually integrated in the testing methods in an attempt to cut travel costs and to simplify the organization of the accreditation tests. Finally, the most recent, fully online testing procedure will be presented, with an analysis of the possible advantages and drawbacks of a remote exam setting, especially in the context of the lessons learnt about remote interpreting during the COVID-19 pandemic.