ECTN 1 - The Background

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The European Chemistry Thematic Network is a network of over 130 chemistry departments from all Member States of the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Romania. It was founded in September 1996 and is funded by the European Commission as part of the SOCRATES / ERASMUS programme.

The original aims of the network were based on the outcomes and recommendations of the Erasmus Congress "Chemistry in Europe" held in Lyon, in March 1995. The following topics were prioritised as those to be addressed during the first three years of the network contract :

1. The Rapid Changes in Safety Legislation

2. Core Chemistry

3. Communication and Management Skills

4. Chemistry and the Environment

5. Catalysis and New Materials

6. Post-University Training for Industrial Chemists

7. Teaching and Learning : Practical Skills

8. The Image of Chemistry

For each of the above topics, a working group of 6-20 members was established. Membership of working groups provided for a range of expertise and member state representation so that the reports produced by the groups have a true European dimension.

The working group reports were circulated to all members and were discussed at annual plenary meetings of the network. The reports and recommendations have been disseminated widely by use of the World Wide Web. They are available on this site, by going to the section on working groups.

The plenary meetings have been held as follows:

• CPE Lyon, FR, 13-14 June 1997
• Rhodes, GR, 1-2 May 1998
• Grenoble, FR,  24-27 April 1999
• Krakow, PL, 4-7 May 2000
• Lund, SE, 26-28 April 2001
• Perugia, IT, 10-12 May, 2002
• Prague, CZ, 24-27 April 2003
• Toulouse, FR, 24-28 April 2004

The next plenary meeting will be held in Thessaloniki, GR on 4-8 May 2005.