The COUPLED training programme was based on exposing the PhD fellows to a stimulating scientific and professional environment, and providing them with ample experience in interdisciplinary and intersectoral work.

This allowed them to proactively and effectively address sustainability challenges in the context of, for example, raw material sourcing, supply chain responsibility, policy-making for avoiding undesirable and unexpected impacts, predicting the impacts of changing consumer preferences, detecting and avoiding spill-over effects, and developing efficient tools for governments and businesses to lessen environmental impact, improve equity, and achieve development goals.

COUPLED aimed to maximise the professional potential of its young researchers through a training programme targeted towards their research project while matching the skills required by potential employers in the academic, business, regulatory and public sectors.