BioExcel-2 Deliverable D4.2 - Training Plan

BioExcel runs an innovative training programme that truly adapts to the user’s needs. The programme is based on a competency profile and the identification of areas with low coverage of training opportunities (BioExcel or third-party). To increase the impact of our offering we collaborate with other HPC training organisations (e.g. PRACE) and expose all training resources we are aware of to our community through the Knowledge Resource Center.

As HPC continues to become more vital to life science research we need to continue to lower the barrier to adoption and support the capacity building of our community. We have extended our training offer with remote training, which has allowed us to broaden our reach, increase the variety of the content we offer and made our training programme more accessible.

This document describes the updated BioExcel competency profile and the training activities completed in 2019. It includes an evaluation of the virtual training pilots and our future plans to incorporate these sessions into the BioExcel training programme. Long-term impact from previous BioExcel courses is also presented.

The BioExcel competency profile has been updated to version 2, with substantial changes being made to condense and streamline the profile for ease of use. The existing learning resources were remapped to the new version of the framework at the level of the Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes (KSAs). 225 learning resources are now mapped to version 2 of the BioExcel competency profile and available in the Knowledge Resource Center.

Four virtual training pilot courses have been run successfully. This form of delivery is clearly an excellent way of increasing the reach of the BioExcel training programme and we have already four courses planned in early 2020. We discuss the challenges these sessions pose and how we will address them. We present a set of guidelines for preparing and delivering virtual courses, which will be further developed during the rest of the BioExcel project.

We describe an overview of the face to face training events completed in 2019 and discuss the feedback received through post-course surveys. 100% of respondents gave one of the two top ratings to the three reported courses where a question regarding an overall rating was included. In addition to the events organised by BioExcel training work package, the BioExcel partners have participated in 12 training activities listed in this report. BioExcel will continue to deliver training to the biomolecular research community through already planned events listed here and others yet to be confirmed.

The long-term impact of previous training activities is also described here. It shows that most respondents use the skills gained during the courses and many of them teach others, which broadens the impact that our training has in the community.