The ELIXIR Training Platform aims to develop a training community that spans all ELIXIR member states (see the list of Training Coordinators). It aims to strengthen national training programmes, grow bioinformatics training capacity and competence across Europe, and empower researchers to use ELIXIR's services and tools.
The current programme builds on the work established during the previous work programme (2014-2018).
The Platform:
- establishes and implements best practices in bioinformatics training through a training Toolkit
- supports training providers across Europe in creating and delivering training for developers, researchers and trainers
- builds a sustainable training infrastructure
training events
people trained
days of training
Services offered by the Training Platform
TeSS, the training registry for the ELIXIR community
- For trainers, the portal offers an environment for sharing materials and event information.
- For trainees, it offers a gateway to find relevant training events and resources, and to perform specific, guided analysis tasks via customised training workflows.
- For ELIXIR Nodes, TeSS provides opportunities to promote training events and news, and to contribute to a growing catalogue of materials.
The Training Metrics Database (visit the database)
- For ELIXIR Training Coordinators, the database streamlines data collection, storage, and visualisation of ELIXIR Training quality and impact data.
- For anyone interested in ELIXIR training, it lets you browse and view ELIXIR-wide training summaries and interact with dynamic reports.
The ELIXIR-SI eLearning Platform EeLP (visit the platform)
- For trainers and trainees: EeLP provides a single access point to all necessary information, dynamic educational resources, tools and services for any training event, including access to registration, compute infrastructure (HPC), exams, comms and certificates.
What the Training Platform does
In line with the ELIXIR Scientific Programme 2024-2028, the Platform work is scheduled in two rounds. The Work Packages (WPs) below are specifically describing activities during 2024-2026.
WP1: Governance of the Training Platform
Goal: To monitor and manage the Platform activities throughout the 2024-2026 work plan.
Activities:
- Overseeing and following up on the tasks in the Work Programme.
- Providing regular oversight through chairing monthly TrCG calls and supporting the organisation of the annual meeting for platform members.
- Communicating and aligning with other Platforms, along with providing feedback and recommendations based on wider community consultation and long-term goals.
- Planning to ensure the Platform's sustainability and explore avenues for additional support, including industry engagement and competitive funding calls.
Leads: Eva Alloza (BSC, Spain), Jessica Lindvall (Uppsala University, Sweden), Fotis Psomopoulos (GR-INAB/CERTH, Greece)
WP2: Consolidating the Training Platform Infrastructure (services and resources)
Goal: To consolidate the Training Platform Infrastructure, including both its services and resources.
Activities:
- Increasing collaboration with the community and make the Platform and its activities visible to all stakeholders. To do so, a technical infrastructure to support related activities is essential.
- Expanding the Training Metrics Database to better support communities and standards.
- Developing SPLASH (SPLASH is short for Skills, Professional development, Learning Assessment, Support and Help along the training life cycle), a digital environment representing a “one-stop-shop” for ELIXIR Training Platform services. Content of SPLASH will be produced in WP3, and the SPLASH website will be constructed in WP2.
Leads: Alex Botzki (VIB, Belgium), Geert van Geest (SIB, Switzerland), Eleni Adamidi (ATHENA RC, Greece)
WP3: Consolidating ELIXIR Training standards and best practices for Open science and Open education
Goal: To establish guidelines for the complete training life cycle, which will be featured on the SPLASH website.
Activities:
- Demonstrating training guidelines through a few pilot cases that address currently missing topics.
- Creating a framework that encompasses various aspects, such as designing and implementing training resources, maintaining FAIR principles, establishing pathways, and delivering effective training, while also maintaining links and alignment to relevant efforts within ELIXIR (such as the Open Science activity in Node CoS).
- Defining the roles and expectations of a Training Coordinator and Training Platform members from both the ELIXIR TrP and Node perspectives. This includes formalising expectations, creating Node-specific requirements, and developing an onboarding process for new Training Coordinators. The ultimate goal is to establish a clear identity for ELIXIR Training Platform members and facilitate a more formal recognition process.
Leads: Vassiliki Iconomidou (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece), Erin Calhoun (UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway), Alexia Cardona (IUniversity of Cambridge, UK)
WP4: Train-the-Trainer programme consolidation
Goal: To consolidate all Train the Trainer (TtT) resources within the Training Platform's technical infrastructure.
Activities:
- Expanding the TtT efforts to include impact assessment and onboarding.
- Fostering the growth of the TtT community.
- Populating web pages/portals for TtT within the Training SPLASH, ensuring easy access and maintenance of TtT materials.
- FAIRification of content through a GitHub repository, developing additional resources for specific needs, implementing an impact assessment strategy, and creating a supportive environment for TtT instructors to share experiences and knowledge.
Leads: Lisanna Paladin (EMBL), Patricia Palagi (SIB, Switzerland), Allegra Via (Sapienza University, Italy)
Commissioned Services
The Training Platform has also completed a number of short-term projects called Commissioned Services. For details of these projects, see the Commissioned Services page.
Leadership
jessica.lindvall@nbis.se
(ELIXIR Sweden)
fpsom@certh.gr
(ELIXIR Greece)
eva.alloza@bsc.es
(ELIXIR Spain)
(ELIXIR Hub)
Platform Coordinator
Mihail Anton
(ELIXIR Hub)
Platform Liaison
Find out more
- Browse the Events page of this site for training events and workshops.
- Find out how ELIXIR Training is organised, including who your local Training Coordinators are.
- Collaborations of the ELIXIR Training Platform with external bodies.