Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
ELSA (European Leadership in Space Astrometry) is a four-year, EU-funded ResearchTraining Network ending in September 2010. It has employed 10 postgraduate students and 5postdocs for 2–3 years and financed a number of workshops, training events and topicalmeetings, culminating in the present symposium. The primary goal of ELSA is to train youngscientists in the context of the Gaia project while contributing to the scientificpreparations for the mission. The organization, aims and history of ELSA are outlined.