The Missing Pieces of European Armaments Cooperation: the EU's PESCO and EDF

Armaments cooperation, theoretically, allows states to develop capabilities that they alone could not. Yet, armaments cooperation’s reality differs from theory: states haggle over conflicting requirements and parochial workshare demands. This thesis evaluates the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) and European Defense Fund (EDF) in terms of their organizational design and co-development projects. PESCO’s organizational design displays middling path dependency, and the EDF’s a lesser degree. From this, I devise three expectations for their projects, and test them by building an open-source database of PESCO projects’ progress towards their goals. This thesis corroborates my initial two expectations. First, PESCO and EDF-funded projects comprehensively reflect the EU’s capability development priorities, and more ambitious projects arose in response to EU recommendations. Second, EU-funded PESCO projects demonstrate more progress than those without funding, several of which demonstrate no progress. Contrary to my third expectation, cooperation, in terms of projects managed cooperatively, did not increase.Master of Art

Using e-learning to support international students' dissertation preparation

Purpose: A research paper on the design and implementation of an e-learning resource responding to the globalisation of education. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the challenges presented in learning and teaching on how to support international postgraduate (PG) students undertaking the specific task of a dissertation. Design/methodology/approach: Using findings from 250 PG students, 40 supervisors and two module tutors the research identified the content and language issues faced by students and recognised the need to design an enabler supporting the latter as independent learners and the academic staff delivering support. Findings: The e-learning tool provides an independent learning tool which addresses student concerns relating to the process and content of structuring a dissertation and the function of language. Initial responses have been positive from both staff and students in respect to providing a source of student support and feedback. Originality/value: The research shows how the Dissertation Game Model (DGM), evolved into an e-learning resource supporting student understanding of the content, structure, planning and writing of a dissertation. The e-learning tool focuses on helping international students understand what the generic contents of each chapter of a dissertation should contain and supports them in engaging in research as a transferable skill

Degradation of a High Performance SOFC Cathode by Cr-Poisoning at OCV-Conditions

In this work we investigate the effect of Cr-poisoning at OCV-condition by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The anode-supported cell (ASC) is operated in Cr-free environment for the first 70 h of the cell test at 800 °C supplying air to the cathode and a varying mixture of H2O/H2 to the anode. The performance of the cell is determined by current-voltage (CV) measurement after the start up. After an operating time of 70 h in the absence of chromium species a Cr-source was switched on by passing the oxidant (air) through a Crofer22APU powder bed. In order to determine the degradation caused by Cr-poisoning electrical impedance spectra are collected at every 29 h of operating time. After further 275 h at OCV-condition in the presence of Cr-source another CV-curve is measured. A detailed analysis of the measured impedance spectra by the distribution of relaxation times (DRT) enables a separation of the cathode polarization resistance. During the Cr-free operation the cathode polarization shows a constant value. After the Cr-source is switched on a strong increase of the cathode polarization resistance is observed. This unique result shows clearly that Cr-poisoning of an LSM/8YSZ-cathode already takes place at OCV-condition