The general project goals can be broken down to the following more tangible project objectives. With respect to creating a co-operative network these objectives are to:

1. Provide a common electronic platform for regular exchange of information.
2. Establish an internal forum for regular discussion of scientific work.
3. Create a programme for the exchange of scientists and doctoral students.

The goal to create a virtual centre of excellence implies the following objectives:

1. Create a pool of lab software for shared use.
2. Establish common virtual lab infrastructures.
3. Establish summer schools.
4. Organise tutorials and special sessions at conferences.
5. Establish rules for the use and exploitation of IPRs.

To stimulate and co-ordinate world-class research means to:

1. Initiate a common research programme that establishes co-operative practice.
2. Define and co-ordinate research efforts to gain third party funding.
3. Create a joint research programme that crosses traditional topical barriers.
4. Establish close links to excellent research groups outside Europe.
5. Install instruments for review and quality assessment.

TARGET's Joint Programme of Activities is designed so that each objective corresponds to one work package or to one work package group.

Background

TARGET brings together 49 top amplifier research groups consisting of 168 researchers and 67 doctoral students (coming from 12 EU member countries, 3 candidate countries, and 1 associated country) that have in the past three years published more than 1000 papers. TARGET follows a well-designed methodology to integrate research in this field. As a general principle, it uses research itself for the purpose of achieving a desire to integrate among the participants.

A total of 38 work packages in the fields of integration, joint research, dissemination of knowledge and of network management are defined for the whole duration of the project. To account for the special needs and interests of female researchers a gender action plan has been implemented.