Background

The M4DT-IC project supported National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) worldwide in managing digital transformation. Running from January 2024 to November 2025 the BMZ-funded programme looks back on almost two years of successful cooperation with partner regions across Africa, Asia, Eastern Partnership and Central Asia countries, and Latin America and the Caribbean. 

The Need for Digital Transformation in International Cooperation

New opportunities are emerging almost daily in households, trade and industry through digital data traffic. This upheaval is challenging the quality infrastructure (QI) system, consisting of metrology, standardisation, accreditation, conformity assessment and market surveillance. At the same time, it has implications for development cooperation. For example, digital transformation can lead to an increase in existing economic or social disparities.

However, promoting the active participation of partner countries in digitalisation processes can also promote economic integration and harmonisation of systems. The International Cooperation of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) supports the digitalisation of the quality infrastructure worldwide in close cooperation with PTB departments and partner institutions. 

Objectives and Structure

The project Metrology for Digital Transformation in International Cooperation (M4DT-IC) has the objective to support national metrology institutes in partner countries to better manage the digital transformation according to the needs of their customers.

For this purpose, three international working groups focused on the key topics: digital transformation strategy (DTS), digital calibration certificates (DCC), and digital process management (DPM). A Technical Committee of coaches provided guidance and steered the process. Participants implemented national projects and contributed to regional and international solutions.

More details are outlined in the project presentation linked here.

Key Activities

Five international workshops (virtual and in-person, including sessions in Germany and Thailand), regular virtual follow-up meetings, and dedicated training workshops on both technical and soft skills rounded out the programme. If you want to learn more about the project outputs, you can find the final country project posters in the “Results” Section.

What's next?

With the end of the M4DT-IC project, activities have moved under the umbrella of the IMEKO (International Measurement Confederation) TC6, the Technical Committee on Digitalization. At the beginning of 2026, the sub-committee M4DX Network formed bringing together the participants from the CABUREK project to enable continued knowledge exchange and capacity-building.

Publications

Here you can find more information on digitalisation activities of PTB International Cooperation: 

June 2026: Project Summary Report: Digital by Design: New Pathways for Measurement Infrastructure. Also available in German. 

November 2023: Publication "Quality Infrastructure and Digitalisation". Here you may find the German version.

March 2022: Publication PTB's "Digitalisation Strategy in International Cooperation", in German.