Training aims
Real knowledge transfer and training will be pursued through training-by-research in multidisciplinary teams. Networking and ToK activities will complement the training through several elements:
  • The host institutions will provide specialized courses, based on local expertise, for the benefit of ESRs. Moreover, ESRs will take advantage of existing courses (e.g., training programmes locally offered to MsC and/or PhD students and post-doctoral fellows).

  • The network e-learning platform will provide a comprehensive learning environment, used to provide additional basic courses and multimedia resources on different topic areas as well as complementary training.

  • Activities carried out jointly by network members will add further skills to the preparation of ESRs.

  • Additional local activities as well as the technical workshops and summer schools planned within the joint work programme will also give each ESR the opportunity to develop key complementary skills (technical presentation and communication, project management, ethical issues, IPR issues, etc.).
While maintaining the training of ESRs as our primary objective, involvement of experienced researchers (ERs) is required at some institutions, in particular, to support ToK and network-wide activities.


In order to address the request to provide training plans which are more focused on the efficient training of ESRs, we provide below a summary of the network-wide training and ToK activities that will be specifically pursued for this purpose.
  • Technical seminars for the collaboration of ESRs. Researchers will meet to present intermediate results at informal technical seminars (arranged to coincide with management board progress meetings).

  • Appointed researcher exchange programme. Every 6 months, at least 50% of the researchers involved in ToK activities will make an exchange visit of no less than 1 week to another network partner, in accordance with his/her personal career development plan.

  • Summer schools for ESRs. Four international joint schools will be organized during a 3-4 week period.

  • Summer camps for ESRs. Four summer camps will be developed in conjunction to summer schools and connected to ongoing imaging campaigns to provide appointed researchers with specific training through their participation in data calibration, correction and field activities.

  • Round-robin calibration experiments. In order to support the calibration and validation activity, three combined inter-calibration experiments are planned during summer camps.

  • General-purpose research visits of ESRs. Appointed researchers will carry out occasional short visits to other partners (including industrial ones) when needed to advance specific topics.

  • Mid-term and final network workshop. Appointed researchers will have the opportunity to present technical results to all other partners and to the Commission in two specific technical workshops dedicated to the network.