terms of the scatter of the results, e.g. in round-robin tests. In considering the role of AQA in the higher education sector it is necessary to differentiate between the various university activities which include services, research and development and teaching, as follows: Routine chemical analyses (including ad hoc analyses) performed for external clients and for the university's own measurement campaigns (e.g. investigations of the quality of waste-water and air) requiring full documentation. Routine chemical analyses carried out for internal clients as a service to research in other...