During the first week of December, the doctoral training network CASPIAN held a meeting of fellows, partners and associate partners at Ghent University in Belgium. Representing DCU was Dr Donnacha Ó Beacháin, Robert Chestnutt, Maia Machavariani and Aytan Gahramanova. CASPIAN is the product of a €3.8m grant awarded to the IICRR to establish a research network of scholars focussing on the Caspian region. For more information see http://caspianet.eu/

Caspian is a doctoral training programme aimed at cultivating the next generation of experts on the Caspian region.  It seeks to establish a sustainable network of capable commentators through the development of an integrated PhD programme focusing on the Caspian region.

It boosts researchers’ theoretical, empirical and administrative skills, making them competitive in the employment market, in both academic and non-academic sectors, but also confident and knowledgeable enough to develop their own projects. The training will enhance the research skills of the ESRs while also giving them a first-hand experience with a partner operating in a different environment, thus learning how to apply their skills to different fields and sectors. The network and training is expected to become a leading voice on issues related to the Caspian region both in academia and other sectors.