Page 30 - MEMOCiberobn014-ENG

TRAINING PROGRAMME
The CIBERobn Training Programme targets all members of its groups given that the need for continuous tra- ining is universal . However, due to the profile of the programme and considering the budgetary availability, the fundamental focus of the programme has been the younger members of the teams . The objectives are to train researchers (particularly new researches and those that are in the process of becoming established researchers) in obesity and nutrition, to favour their mobility and to help them establish their professional career as independent researchers in this area .
Given the nature of this programme, the members of the groups forming CIBEROBN could request funding under this budget item for funding only those training activities that facilitate research (basic, clinical, epi- demiological and health services) relating to the lines of research of the subjects comprised in CIBEROBN . Consistent with the trajectory to date, the main training activities have been carried out by funding training
internships in other research groups both within CIBER and outside CIBER (both national and international) .
In any case, and although it is considered that the activities described above have allowed covering part of CIBEROBN’S training mission in the fields of obesity and nutrition, consistent with the basis of its formation as a Networking Research Centre, a series of initiatives that seek to further promote this idea is currently being studied and developed, allowing the implementation of a more ambitious and comprehensive Trai- ning Programme which serves as a tool for turning CIBEROBN into a national and eventually international example, in relation to training activities in the field of obesity and nutrition applied to health .
Structure and activities conducted throughout the year
Consistent with the experience accumulated in previous years, CIBEROBN has maintained funding for training and mobility activities particularly targeting young researchers and those who are in the process of becoming established researchers, consisting of financial aid for training internships in other CIBEROBN groups, other CIBER groups and groups not attached to the CIBER structure (both national and international) . It must be pointed out that these internships are extremely productive for the programmes because young researchers receive training for specific techniques that they can then immediately apply to studies in their CIBER group, which shows that the investment in training yields significant returns in very little time .
Specifically, there was total of 8 CIBEROBN researcher internships in 2014, with a mean duration of about 55 days (the maximum are 3 months), and a global funding of 16750 EUR . Although the level of use of funding is somewhat lower than the previous year, the fact that a high internationalisation percentage (75% of the internships were in renowned centres in other countries) and a longer mean internship duration (almost 2 months) were maintained stand out . These factors are of particular interest from the viewpoints of knowledge acquisition and the development of training .
When seen in perspective, it can be considered that the CIBEROBN training and mobility programme is well-established and that due to its flexibility, it is a valuable tool not only in the professional development of researchers (particularly young researchers) that are included in this CIBER area, but also in reinforcing in the international connections and collaborations of groups forming it . In this context, this programme has notably contributed to reinforcing the interest and synergies of the combination in CIBER of universities and hospitals, offering very good results with respect to research staff training (measured by indicators such as PhD dissertations that are defended; see more below) . Likewise, and though not included under the funding terms, the training programme has had post-doctoral researcher internships in consortium centres of our CIBEROBN, as well as PhD candidate interns that received a grant from other countries to do their PhD dissertation work in CIBEROBN groups .
Review and future considerations:
Due to the budgetary restrictions, certain limitations have been applied in recent years to assure access to and distribution of funding between the different CIBEROBN groups . These same limitations have impeded funding internships lasting for more than 3 months, with the duration of internships supported by the
30 CIBEROBN » Annual report 2014