More information
Description
The objective of this initiative is to establish a bilateral collaboration between the “Centre for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD)” of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and the Department of Nuclear Chemistry of the Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering (DNC) of the Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU). The collaborative topic to be addressed by this initiative is “Improved skills and competences of students and academics in application AMS within radioecology” where AMS stands for the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. The main target group addressed by the project are Ph.D. and master students and teaching staff of both institutions. They will profit from the complementarity of knowledge, skills, aims and resources that has been the focal point around which this initiative has been built. In addition to NMBU and CTU students and teachers mentioned above, participation of additional students / (young) researchers from other Czech institutions in the course Prague is expected.
The activities include:
- hosting several CTU students at CERAD for short period to take part in the NMBU course called “Experimental radioecology",
- hosting several CERAD trainees in Prague to take part in a short-term training of the work in radiochemical laboratories,
- a visit of CTU teachers for a seminar at CERAD aimed at getting acquainted in more detail with the facilities available for the collaboration and at more detailed definition of the follow-up collaboration.
The main output of this bilateral initiative will be strengthening of the bilateral relations and improving the mutual understanding between CERAD and CTU in Prague. The main result on a short-term basis are students trained in skills not readily available at their home institutions.
Summary of project results
The only activity was realized in the project – attendance of three Ph.D. students at on-line version of laboratory exercise, its theoretical part, when students in two weeks visited lectures and passed several exercises and tests. At the end, students wrote topical study related to their research. The importance of laboratory exercise in chemical education is crucial, namely in realization of practical experiments, transferring knowledge and skills.
Planned results were not achieved in the project – physical mobility of students and teachers, because of restriction related with COVID-19 pandemic on both sides, applicant and partner. Despite the lack of exchanges and personal meetings, mutual communication took place and conditions were set for further cooperation. On-line course Radioecology 2022 was realized.
Nevertheless, the existence of the project had positive impact on mutual university collaboration – the necessity of communication and agreement in solving problems related to quarantines/pandemic restrictions in both states, in time options and schedule of the teachers, and in mutual research synergies.
Summary of bilateral results
Project was requested for support to ensure mobility to Norwegian partner. It is difficult to send higher number of students for short stay on practical radiochemical course attendance, which is not taught at the Czech university.