Networking Event 1 - Development of Career Development Plan and research-related skills

The objective of the 1st Networking event was to: 

• Present CLIPE’s main research plan, training goals and training programme to ESRs. 

• Help each ESR develop his/ her own CDP from the beginning of their doctoral studies. · Encourage the networking and interaction between the ESRs, the senior academics and the industrial partners in a nonformal setting. 

• Develop the necessary scientific writing/ presentation skills for ESRs to enhance their career prospects.

• Organise the ESRs’ secondments to academic and industrial partners in order to enhance the implementation of CLIPE’s research objectives and integrate the real-case challenges and industrial problems into the ESRs’ research work. 

The event took place online via Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic that caused travelling restrictions in many countries and was organised by UCL. The interactiveness between the participants was promoted and the ESRs were encouraged to ask questions or state any comments, at the end of each session. This resulted in the dynamic interaction between the participants, with vivid discussions throughout all sessions of the event. 

During the networking event, one (at least) representative from each beneficiary was present throughout all sessions as well as the 13 ESRs that have been recruited so far. 

The CLIPE industrial partners were invited to give presentations on their companies and the challenges in their sectors and also discuss with the ESRs the current limitations faced by companies within the animation and virtual character industries. 

The industrial partners were also invited to participate in the sessions involving the establishment of the personalised Career Development Plan of the ESRs.