Diffusion, i.e. the irregular movement of particles induced by their thermal energy continues to be among the hot topics of both fundamental and applied research. This is all the more so for diffusion in porous systems. Besides porous systems being omnipresent in our daily environment, porous materials are fundamental to many technological processes, including chemical conversion by heterogeneous catalysis and chemical separation in molecular sieving. The description and prediction of diffusive behaviour and its correlation with structural properties of diverse host materials, however is still far from trivial.

Bringing together the expertise of world leading scientists from the Netherlands Institute for Catalysis Research and the Leipzig University a consortium has been established, which offers unique prospects to young, talented students to combine research and education in the field of molecular mass transfer in porous media. In the first years of its existence, it has already lead to exciting advancements of theory and practice within its field. The consortium involves expertise in all major areas of the broad field of diffusion in porous materials, including but not limited to theoretical fundamentals, sophisticated measuring techniques, the fabrication know-how of high-tech materials and their application in advanced technologies.

The scientific foundation of the IRTG is built on six intimately connected pillars:

A) NMR Methodology, technical and experimental aspects of NMR diffusometry.
B) Mesoporosity, phase transitions and technological use.
C) Molecular dynamics in intentionally tailored nanopores
D) Probing pore space regularity by diffusion measurement
E) Pore diffusion in the environment
F) Molecular modelling and analytical treatment of diffusion in porous materials.

These pillars weld together theoretical and experimental physics, theoretical and technical chemistry and environmental sciences. The cross-fertilization between the various disciplines has already led to substantial advances in theory and practice and there is a high expectancy of more exciting new results to come out of the cooperations.

The teaching programme of our IRTG consists of three major parts:

1. IRTG workshops, held biannually, form the key element of the teaching programme. Each workshop focuses on one of the six 'scientific pillars', in the form of targeted, Ph.D. level lecture courses. In addition, it is the ideal opportunity for all IRTG members to discuss their results and plan the continuation of their cooperations. At each workshop, the Ph.D. students present their recent experimental results, which are then discussed between all IRTG members.

2. Weekly Department seminars are held under the responsibility of each participating group, and serve for the Ph.D. students to stay in close touch with their immediate scientific colleagues. The students are expected to contribute actively to the seminars by giving more detailed reports on their research activities and the progress of their Ph.D. work and by discussing topics from other speakers relevant to their own work.

3. Weekly IRTG lectures form the third element of the teaching programme. These include Ph.D. level courses, presented by IRTG lecturers and guest scientists, as well as the colloquia at the Physics and Chemistry institutes in Leipzig, in which the students will be able to keep up with hot topics of research by renowned lecturers, jointly invited by the IRTG and the respective institutions.