We are pleased to introduce the International Network of Forensic Sciences – INFS, a newly established international, non-profit, scientific, technical and professional network dedicated to the advancement of forensic sciences and to the strengthening of cooperation among qualified organisations operating in this field.
INFS has been created to offer a stable space for dialogue, comparison and shared development among forensic organisations, professional associations, universities, research bodies, technical institutions and other qualified entities involved in forensic science, expert evidence and the professional qualification of forensic experts.
The Network arises from a clear and increasingly urgent need. Forensic science plays a central role in contemporary justice systems, yet approaches to expert competence, methodological reliability, training, certification, ethical responsibility and the evaluation of scientific evidence often remain fragmented across jurisdictions, legal traditions and disciplines. The same category of forensic evidence may be examined, presented and assessed in very different ways from one country to another, sometimes without sufficiently shared references concerning methods, professional requirements and scientific reliability.
INFS aims to contribute to overcoming this fragmentation by encouraging international cooperation, the comparison of practices and the progressive development of shared scientific, methodological and professional references. Its purpose is not to replace existing organisations, professional associations or national frameworks. On the contrary, INFS is designed to connect them, fully respecting their autonomy, identity, experience and legal structure, while offering a common platform through which different forensic traditions, legal systems and scientific disciplines can engage with one another.
The main objectives of INFS include the promotion of scientific rigour, methodological transparency, professional competence, ethical responsibility, continuing education and international cooperation in all areas of forensic science. The Network also intends to support the development of good practices, technical guidelines, comparative studies, training initiatives and future contributions to international standardisation processes, including dialogue with relevant ISO and CEN environments.
A central feature of INFS is the establishment of International Technical Groups, intended to bring together experts from different countries and disciplines in order to work on methodological, scientific and operational issues. These groups may cover both specific forensic disciplines and cross-cutting areas such as evidence quality, forensic methodology, ethics, governance, artificial intelligence, accreditation, certification and conformity assessment.
Through these Technical Groups, member organisations and qualified experts may exchange experience, compare national practices, identify common challenges, contribute to technical documents and participate in the development of outputs aimed at supporting the reliability, recognition and international comparability of forensic expertise.
INFS is founded on the conviction that the quality of forensic evidence is not only a technical matter, but a fundamental guarantee for justice, due process and the protection of individual rights. Reliable expert evidence requires competence, independence, validated methods, clear reasoning, transparent reporting and ethical responsibility. Forensic experts do not merely provide technical opinions; they contribute to the proper functioning of justice by ensuring that scientific and technical evidence is examined with rigour, impartiality and professional accountability.
For this reason, INFS seeks to promote a stronger, more transparent and more internationally connected forensic community. We believe that forensic organisations should not remain isolated or passive in the face of the rapid evolution of science, technology, digital evidence, artificial intelligence and international standards. They should be directly involved in shaping the future of forensic practice, contributing their experience and working together to strengthen the reliability of expert evidence.
In this perspective, we would be pleased to open a dialogue with your Organisation and to share further information about the Network, its founding principles, its current activities and the opportunities for cooperation. We believe that organisations active in the forensic field can make a valuable contribution to this process, bringing their own scientific, professional and institutional experience into a shared international environment.
Participation in INFS is open to forensic organisations, professional associations, academic institutions, research bodies and other non-profit entities that operate in the forensic field and share the principles of scientific independence, professional integrity, methodological rigour and ethical responsibility.
Membership would allow your Organisation to participate in an international platform where forensic professionals and institutions can exchange experience, discuss common challenges, contribute to technical work and take part in future initiatives concerning training, standards, good practices, professional qualification and the reliability of expert evidence.
Member organisations may contribute to the work of the International Technical Groups, participate in scientific and institutional activities, propose topics for discussion, share national experiences and collaborate in the development of documents, guidelines and technical outputs intended to support the reliability and recognition of forensic expertise at international level.
INFS is based on a cooperative model. Each member organisation retains its full autonomy, identity and legal structure. Participation in the Network does not imply subordination to any other organisation, but rather involvement in a shared international environment built on dialogue, mutual respect and common responsibility. The Network is conceived as a place of cooperation, not hierarchy; a space in which different organisations may contribute on the basis of their competence, experience and institutional role.
The ethical dimension is also central to INFS. All participants are expected to act in accordance with principles of independence, impartiality, confidentiality, scientific integrity, respect, professional competence and responsible use of forensic methods and technologies. These principles are essential to the credibility of forensic science and to the trust that courts, institutions and citizens must be able to place in expert evidence.
We would be honoured to arrange a short online meeting with you in order to present INFS in greater detail, discuss the possible role of your Organisation within the Network and answer any questions concerning membership, technical groups, governance and future activities.
Should your Organisation be interested in joining, the next steps would include the review of the INFS founding and regulatory documents and, where appropriate, the signature of the International Membership Agreement.
We sincerely hope that you will consider opening a dialogue with INFS and, if aligned with your Organisation’s mission and priorities, joining us in the creation of a stronger, more qualified and more internationally connected forensic community.
