ESCCA is committed to promote high quality education in Cytometry. Since its foundation, ESCCA has fostered its own continuous Educational Program, coordinated by ESCCA Board and Scientific Committees. In addition, ESCCA collaborates with other institutions in the diffusion of educational activities of relevance in Cytometry and related fields.

The ESCCA Education, Certification & Quality Assessment Committee is aware of the technical complexity and constant evolution of cytometry instrumentation and its applications, requiring constant training and education. These issues have been covered traditionally by the Education Activities incorporated in the ESCCA Conferences and, by the ESCCA International and Local Schools on Cytometry.

The final goal of the educational efforts of ESCCA is to help colleagues, and especially the young ones, to attain excellence in their work in cytometry, be it in the clinical or in the basic fields. In order to provide a means to certify their knowledge and skill in clinical flow cytometry, the ESCCA Education, Certification & Quality Assessment Committee provides the European Cytometry Certificate.

Each year, the ESCCA Board will award the best performing candidate who achieved a score of 90% or higher for the examination. The awardee will receive an outstanding achievement recognition and a free registration for the upcoming ESCCA Conference.

The European Cytometry Certificate has the following certifications:

• The European Certificate for Cytometry Operators

This first level of certification may be attained after evaluation of the candidate’s knowledge about basic flow cytometry.

Candidates should demonstrate a minimum of three years of experience in flow cytometry. The candidate´s experience should be attested by the director of the employing facility or other entitled authority. 

The examination consists of 100 multiple choice questions and will last a maximum of 2 hours. At least 60% of the questions have to be answered correctly in order to pass the examination and receive the ESCCA Certificate.

• The European Certificate for Cytometry Specialists - Hemato-oncology

This certification may be attained after evaluation of skills and knowledge of the candidate about clinical flow cytometry-hemato-oncology. Certification consists of a written examination, analysis/interpretation of practical cases and revision of the candidate’s CV by the ESCCA Education and Accreditation Committee.

Candidates should have

• a Baccalaureate and/or Master degree and/or Doctorate from an accredited/approved educational institution in biological/lifeT science, physics, engineering or an appropriately related field;
• a minimum of three years acceptable laboratory experience in cytometry (clinical, research, industry or veterinary) in a laboratory accredited under ISO 15189, by JCI, CAP or authorized by a governing regulatory association or Ministry.

Candidates will be presented with some 100 multiple choice questions on a wide range of topics and 3 cases. At least 60% of the questions have to be answered correctly in order to pass the examination and receive the ESCCA Certificate.