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The general teaching/learning strategy of the Euro PhD is to examine the following aspects of social representations and communication:

1. Historical and theoretical aspects
2. Methodological aspects
3. Fieldwork and applications
4. Current comparative European research projects

The didactic structure within this overall strategy is highly innovative. As the system of open distance learning (outlined below 1-6) makes clear, Euro PhD students are involved in an interlocking system of virtual and physical mobility which allows for considerable flexibility in catering for studentsâ research needs while at the same time guaranteeing individual tutoring and interactive learning:
The basic didactic structure of the Euro PhD is composed of:

1. Intensive preliminary stage at national universities aimed at acquiring bibliographic knowledge;
2. Intensive high level didactic stage (International Summer School);
3. Seminars and advanced courses;
4. Multi-media and distance interactive learning;
5. Tutoring and co-tutoring according to shared criteria.

Within this framework, students are required to spend at least 3 months researching in two different European countries. This unique feature of the Euro PhD programme enables students to work alongside their foreign tutors in a new and stimulating research environment. Studentsâ obligations also include (1) submitting an extended yearly report to be presented in the dedicated training session during the International Summer Schools - and a bibliography on the research undertaken and (2) maintaining regular communication with their tutors.

The above training is characterised by a multidisciplinary and multi-method approach. As the attached descriptions of individual training sites indicate, each network university site has special expertise in a particular methodological approach to research in social representations. The student is thus exposed to a variety of complementary methodological approaches.