European Airspace, accommodating one of the densest air traffic volumes in the world, has been managed by numerous Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs). European Union launched Single European Sky (SES) initiative which aims to organize European Airspace according to air traffic flows rather than national boundaries. Integration towards a Pan-European ATM requires not only adaptation of common legislative framework and technological infrastructure but also standardized air traffic controller training and assessment which support its safety, efficiency and economic targets for sustainable growth of future operations. ATCOSIMA project primarily aimed to develop new and common assessment criteria for radar approach control simulation training courses within basic air traffic controller (ATCo) training provided at higher education institutions. These new common criteria were targeted to evaluate ATCo trainees’ performance not only in terms of flight safety but also in terms of flight efficiency during the radar approach control simulation courses according to the future targets of the pan-European ATM system. The objectives of the project within this context were to improve metrics and scoring tools, training guidelines and recommended practices for trainees and instructors for enhanced ATCo training across the Europe. The project targeted ATCo trainees and instructors as well as ATM researchers at higher educations as participants. An innovative approach was proposed to measure the safety and efficiency performance of trainees using human-in-the-loop simulations in both ATC radar simulators and integrated ATC radar-flight deck simulators. In order to achieve these targets, Eskisehir Technical University (ESTU), University of Zagreb Faculty of Transportation (ZFOT) and Technical University of Braunschweig (TUBS) formed a consortium. ESTU and ZFOT, as leading higher education institutions in ATCo basic training, provided significant expertise and capabilities in ATC simulations, while TUBS offered its know-how and capabilities in integrated ATC and flight simulations. A set of generic radar approach exercise scenarios were developed for a generic terminal airspace (TMA) for these simulations. The quantity and type of ATC instructions given by the trainees and the resulting flight trajectory and task load data were collected during these simulations. These data were analyzed thoroughly using various statistical techniques, and the correlations and causal relations were studied between efficiency metrics (fuel consumption, flight time and distance) and the trainees’ inputs (number of flight level, heading and speed change instructions and ratio of low-altitude level-offs). These analyses provided multilinear regression models between flight efficiency metrics and trainees’ inputs. An efficiency-based scoring tool was developed and important training guidelines were obtained from these models. The results of these analyses showed that although trainees could obtain high safety scores based on conventional assessment, their efficiency scores could significantly vary according to the radar vectoring techniques they used. The findings also indicated that these efficiency scores could be improved through enhanced training on flight efficiency using a proper set of these vectoring techniques in basic training. Therefore, the proposed assessment criteria and training guidelines can provide an important insight to monitor, evaluate and enhance ATCo trainees’ efficiency-based performance and competencies of the targeted future ATM system. The documents, tools and guidelines provided by this project can not only help to provide a more effective radar approach simulation training and more accurate and complete assessment on the trainees’ performance compliant with the current and future requirements of Pan-European ATM objectives but also contribute to the improvement of the quality of air traffic services and sustained growth of air transportation and connected regional economies in Europe.

Quantum Technologies (QT) are now developing quickly and broadly in Europe, and the QT Flagship launched 3 years ago is part of a larger Quantum Fleet. This evolution goes together with a reinforcement of the move from the lab to real-world applications, and to industry involvement towards potential markets. The QUCATS CSA is designed to accompany this transition, with the main goals to foster an open and inclusive ecosystem at the European and international levels, to contribute to the development of QT benchmarks and standards, and to step-up training and education of a quantum aware workforce. These outcomes will be reached through the execution of five Work Packages, and their expected impacts will be to preserve the ownership sense built by the previous QT initiatives, now enlarged from labs to the European quantum industry; to make sure that a plurality of voices is consulted and heard, delivering a consistent scientific and political message on critical QT-related issues; and to guarantee that the new phase of the QT Flagship will be validated and supported by the largest possible scientific and industry community. A crucial issue is to allow researchers and policy makers to strike a balance between protectionism and full free trade, in order to keep going the worldwide exchange of ideas, ultimately leading to the conceptual and technological breakthroughs required for the full realization of the QT potential. This smart openness will make Europe more attractive for foreign companies, avoiding at the same time the move of QT companies to countries outside it. Particular attention will be brought to the coordination and development of international QT standards and regulations, and to new educational programs on a European scale, able to train QT specialists, well skilled to make progress in the current Flagship phase and beyond it. Ultimately, the goal of QUCATS is to keep the whole European QT initiative on the path towards a full success on a global scale.