By the middle of the year, experts announced 2011 to be the most expensive year in counts of global disaster damages ever. The EU has articulated its ambition to become an effective player in crisis management as part of the European Security Strategy (Stockholm Programme 2010-2014, Lisbon Treaty). The Hyogo Framework stipulates that a substantial reduction of disaster losses is only possible through advanced governance and management.NITIMesr has been designed as a practice-inspired research initiative that addresses• research and conceptualization of new modes and competencies for coordination and collaboration in heterogeneous actor networks including involvement of individuals,• advanced practices of vertically integrating governance of crisis management, strategic and operative management, with a special focus on• involvement and engagement of self-motivated individuals - actors, agents, volunteer, citizens or, as we call them - entrepreneurs.NITIMesr brings together an interdisciplinary group of researchers and industry partners including the two leading European security clusters around the international court of justice in Den Haag and the Bavarian Security Cluster around the International Campus Aerospace and Security, BICAS, at the German EADS headquarters in Munich. The aim is to explore new frontiers of safety and security with the institutional, governance, organizational and managerial challenges of crisis networks, to develop and test innovative approaches for coordination in real world settings and to build Europe-wide connected clusters for crisis management and implement integrated solutions. Both clusters expect universities to provide the key success factor “talent” through leadership for joint research, education, development and career development. The role of this ITN is to provide initial resources to establish European-level leadership to build research and training capacities in the security clusters on advanced crises management.