"This project involves researchers from Dublin City University, Ireland, the Optoelectronic Research Centre, United Kingdom, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.Our main objectives are to:1/ Deliver a dynamic programme of scientific and engineering missions strongly focused on young researchers (longer term mission, months), but also encompassing experienced researchers (shorter term mission, weeks).2/ Ensure that visiting researchers are integrated into existing research activities at the host centre, and have full visiting researcher status with access to facilities and equipment on the same basis as local staff.3/ Manage a network of structured projects with defined deliverables and milestones.4/ Ensure research visitors are exposed to training opportunities, research seminars, summer schools and short courses/modules relevant to their research or professional development.5/ Deliver high impact outputs from the joint research activities. These will include;5a/ Establishment of a framework for future networked collaborations building on this programme5b/ Joint publications in high impact international journals5c/ Joint grant applications under FP7/FP8, and National European programmes.The overarching goal of this 4-year project is to contribute positively and proactively to these interlinked challenges by establishing an EU-India research and education program designed to reinforce scientific and technological excellence in high speed and ultrafast photonic interactions and processes in systems from atomic ensembles to devices. The programme will deal with the design of non-linear materials, and its characterisation, the generation and applications in communication and biotechnology of short pulses in extreme ultra-violet and in telecom spectral range, and the use of these ultra-fast materials for short pulse characterisation."