Project leaders: Prof. Dr. Bernd Lennartz (University of Rostock), Prof. Dr. Martin Wilmking (University of Greifswald)

The main aim of the IRTG WETSKILLS is to guide doctoral researchers and early career postdocs to become 'Experts for the Functional Understanding, Restoration and Maintenance of Healthy Wetscapes'. Society's demand for professionals capable of managing the conversion process of over-exploited peatlands and wetscapes towards sustainable systems has dramatically increased with new nationally and globally set climate, water, and biodiversity protection goals. WETSKILLS will train such professionals. The course work of WETSKILLS is targeted mainly towards doctoral researchers and is well balanced with respect to scientific training and a formal study program; it is truly interdisciplinary and student-centered. Program highlights include research camps in Finland and England, paludiculture stakeholder classes, students-teach-students events and workshops headed by Mercator Fellows, among others. WETSKILLS will also provide the platform for early career postdocs to foster their career in academia and beyond.

All doctoral researchers and postdocs employed in WETSCAPES2.0 are members of WETSKILLS. Doctoral researchers from participating universities outside WETSCAPES2.0 may become associated members upon request (short proposal to WETSKILLS). The same applies to outstanding MSc students upon nomination by participating PIs. WETSKILLS furthermore offers 6 to 12 months scholarships to doctoral researchers from abroad to further enhance international collaboration, scientific exchange and ideas on doctoral educational programs and travel funds for outstanding MSc students to present their research at national and international conferences. WETSKILLS is jointly headed by two spokespersons, one from UG and one from UR. The doctoral researchers will select two representatives from their cohort, who attend Steering Committee meetings and are involved in decisions on the future development of WETSKILLS.