Dear all,

Members of the FuseNet project, General assembly, contact persons, everyone involved in Fusion education.

We closed the FuseNet FP7 project formally on 30 Sept, days after our final General Assembly meeting at Culham, and administratively on 30 November, when all final reports and form C’s and financial overviews were submitted. Now, it’s all in the hands of the European Commission.

We look back on a project that has more than achieved its goals. Lasting results include a large variety of educational tools – hands-on experiments, virtual reality tools, remotely accessible experiments, an on-line course, a nearly-completed book on fusion technology. And less tangible but no less important, a strongly increased visibility and attractiveness of the field for students, among others through the very successful annual PhD-event, the individual student support programme and the website which offers an overview of all fusion education activities in Europe.

And of course, the establishment of the European Fusion Doctoral and Master’s Certificates, of which the first batch was awarded in the festive ceremony at JET in September. In the past year, the ties with industry were strengthened and first internships were arranged through FuseNet. In fact, there simply is way too much for an end-of-the-year message. But everything about FuseNet is easily accessible through www.fusenet.eu, our great website which is still gaining in popularity with well over a hundred visitors each day.

All of this will be carried over to the Fusenet Association, which – with over 40 members – is living proof of the importance the fusion community attaches to Education and Training. The challenge for the Association is now to launch a new programme of activities under Horizon2020. We are confident that we will develop a very constructive relationship with EUROFUSION, the brand new organization of the European Fusion programme. We have a common goal: educating the ITER generation. For that we need to attract the best and brightest students to fusion, and provide them with the best possible education and training.

Here I want to extend a particular warm thank you to everyone who has contributed to the success of the FuseNet project. In particular, the work package leaders who have consistently carried the project forward and pushed for good and sustainable results, and all others who have contributed to the network with their expertise, enthusiasm, energy and experience. Thank you all and I look forward to a continued collaboration.