Importance of the project Train‐ISS for LFR

This paper puts into perspective the importance of the European project Train‐ISS, taking into account the experience gained by one of the contractors INETI/CITI (Instituto Nacional de Investigação e Tecnologia Industrial/Centro de Informação Técnica para a Indústria) in developing the information market in Portugal. The most important landmarks of the development of the information market in Portugal are outlined. One of the factors restricting this development has been the shortage of trained information professionals. Two projects developed by INETI/CITI, in collaboration with the University of Sheffield, Department of Information Studies, to counteract this shortage are outlined. These are the Postgraduate Course for Information Intermediaries, an intensive six‐month training course which ran for three consecutive years, 1987–1990, and the MSc in Information Management from the University of Sheffield delivered at INETI. The paper concludes by addressing the skills of the professional information Specialists trained by INETI and potentially by the Train‐ISS advanced training programme in Information Management. It indicates the main parts of the contents of the programme leading to a Diploma in Electronic Information Management. Those who wish to continue and submit a dissertation within one year of obtaining the diploma would be awarded the MSc in Electronic Information Management.