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3.4. Education and Training
Apart from the support of joint research projects, support of education and training represents a major
step towards integration. An instrument is the annual “Actinide Summer School” that is organized
alternately by CEA and ITU. While ITU covers fundamental aspects of the chemistry and
physics of actinides, CEA focuses on selected applied areas. The number of participants is in the
order of about 70 to 80 students. The “Theoretical User Lab School” mentioned above is another
instrument that also takes place annually in spring and deals with selected topics.
In analogy to joint research projects, education and training projects may be proposed. These may
be seminars or courses, etc. that will be funded by ACTINET in case of a positive scientific evaluation.
The first five calls for proposals resulted in 19 proposals and 10 of them were funded. The
contents cover a variety of topics and reflect all research areas of ACTINET. The seminars and
courses are supposed to familiarize young scientists with special aspects of actinide sciences and
modern analytical or speciation methods. Again, funding is limited to the mobility of the participants,
i.e. travelling, accommodation, and course registration expenses may be funded.
ACTINET may also financially support conferences and seminars that contribute to the integration
of European actinide research. As a rule, a positive scientific evaluation is the prerequisite.
3.5. Use and Dissemination of Knowledge
The transfer and use of knowledge are of high relevance to European integration in actinide research.
Results of joint research projects are published in about 135 papers and, thus, made available
to the scientific community. Workshops and seminars are aimed at conveying knowledge relating
to selected topics, but also at critically scrutinizing it. Course events, such as the Actinide Summer
School or the ThUL School, are aimed at training young scientists.
ACTINET representatives give presentations both oral and posters at relevant conferences. Close
contact exists with the integrated projects under the 6 th Framework Programme, which are related to
actinide sciences, such as EUROPART, EUROTRANS, NF-PRO or FUNMIG.
All relevant information on the Network of Excellence for Actinide Sciences ACTINET on the consortium
members, core institutions, pool facilities, the Theoretical User Lab, current and completed
joint research projects are available on our web site http://www.actinet-network.org. Activities in
the field of education and training are announced and course material, for example, presentations,
are provided.
4. What’s next
The first phase of ACTINET will terminate at the end of 2008. The next phase has been prepared by
the members of the network, and will be supported by the European Commission as an Integrated
Infrastructure Initiative (ACTINET-I3).
All the major features of the network will be preserved, while the new formal structure is designed
to reduce the administrative burden for both the coordinator and the partners. For example the consortium
will be restricted to the major organisations providing most of the support to the network
(pooled facilities).
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