AUTOBarge in Normandy: Network-wide Event 5, Rouen France

From April 15-18, 2024, the 5th AUTOBarge network-wide event was successfully hosted by our beneficiary IDIT in the charming city of Rouen, Normandy, France. Over the course of this four-day network-wide event, Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) participated in training sessions and presented their research progress to the AUTOBarge consortium. It was an excellent opportunity to summarise the research progress made over the last  6 months and to reflect jointly on future opportunities.

The first day began with a welcome and introduction session by the local organiser IDIT. Alongside updates on project progress, the first training session was devoted to career planning for doctoral researchers, providing critical insights as they are approaching the later stage of their doctoral studies. After engaging discussions, the first day concluded with a delightful, guided tour of the Rouen Museum of Fine Arts, followed by a traditional French dinner.

Guided tour in Rouen Museum of Fine Arts.

On the second day, all ESRs had the opportunity to participate in a special course titled “How to Build a Start-Up,” which focused on the soft skills necessary for creating one’s own business. The afternoon training session concentrated on career paths post-PhD, showcasing various innovation programs and opportunities from both academic and industrial perspectives for every young researcher. Of course, after a day filled with lectures, an escape game was the perfect way to unwind!

Training on day two on “How to Build a Start-Up”.

On the third day of this event,Davy Pissoort, the AUTOBarge project coordinator, presented an overview of the entire project. The consortium members engaged in discussions about supervision, publication, and deliverables. This day ended with a relaxing city tour of Rouen and a project dinner.

Welcome meeting by AUTOBarge project coordinator Davy Pissoort.

Guided city tour in centre of Rouen.

Day-3 Project dinner.

During the final day, the ESRs presented their research progress during parallel scientific work package meetings. With their competence and mature knowledge of their topics, they had constructive discussions with supervisors about idea sharing and future collaborations. This was followed by a joint meeting to conclude and provide an overview of the next steps.

ESRs during their presentations.

This four-day network-wide event concluded with a conference organised by IDIT, where all the young researchers and consortium members had the opportunity to gain insights from presentations related to port management and innovation in inland water transport by French and German institutions.

Conference hosted by IDIT.

Special thanks to the host from our fellowship members from IDIT at Rouen in France!
And we are looking forward to seeing you at our next network-wide event this November in Hamburg!

An article by Chengqian Zhang.