TRANSPORTNET has set up a training programme for young researchers in four major fields for which wider research experience has to be built up:

• Area I which focuses on the business models of all the agents involved in transport and which requires a good knowledge of business economics in combination with a thorough insight in the freight and passenger transportation sector and the transportation market;
• Area II which concentrates on the monitoring of transport policies and the dynamic process of policy design and implementation and which requires a good knowledge of dynamic modeling of the interactions within the transportation sector, of the behaviour of policy makers and the agents in the transportation field, of the relation between the transportation sector and other relevant sectors, of the impacts of policy actions, etc.
• Area III centres on the management of transport infrastructure growth and railway corridors in particular which implies good knowledge of modeling technical and economic aspects of rail infrastructure, such as capacity evaluation, timetable reliability analysis, service disruption costing, maintenance and renewal needs forecasting and life cycle analysis.
• Area IV focuses on urban mobility policy and Urban Mobility Systems (UMS’s) which requires a specific training to understand the dynamics between the different components of the UMS and the influencing factors.

For each research area, a specialised in-depth course stream is organised consisting of teaching, visits and “cases” (short research projects).

The provisional schedule for the stream courses looks like this:

November-December 2007 - Transport Business and Markets - University of the Aegean

February-March 2008 - Trade, Transport and Policy - University of Karlsruhe

May-June 2008 - Infrastructure Development and Management - University of Genova
August-September 2008 - Urban Mobility - University of Lisbon

Each in-depth course stream is co-ordinated by one of the members of TRANSPORTNET, is organised at their premises and involves at least one other member of the consortium. An in-depth course brings together the fellows active in the relevant field, stimulating exchange and networking. The whole duration for the completion of each “in depth” course stream is six weeks, divided into three periods:

• 1^st period: two weeks of lectures, visits and the first stage of preparation of “cases”. During this period, the students will stay in the university hosting the course.
• 2^nd period: three weeks for the progress of “cases”. During this period, the students will be at their ‘home’ university.
• 3^rd period: one week for the finalisation and presentation of the “cases”. During this period, the students will be back in the host university.

During the first period of two weeks in the host university, the students will follow two lectures of 2,5 hours each per day. The lectures deal either with specialised topics within the stream area or with relevant case-studies. The first week will also include a session dedicated to the presentation of a number of "cases" (short research projects) to be proposed to the participating students. During the second week, beside the lectures, the hourly program will include 1-2 hours of collaboration between the students and the supervisors for the progress of the “cases”.

During the second period of three weeks, the students will prepare their work at their home university, according to the work split agreed internally in each team. Communication among members of each group, as well as between the students and the supervisor by e-mail and managing documents through a web based platform, will allow students achieving their aims.

The third period of one week will be dedicated to the finalisation and presentation of the cases. The students must already have proceeded to a significant progress of their cases. They will meet again at the host university with their supervisor in order to clarify aspects, test results and prepare the final reports and presentation procedures.