ESERNET increases the competitiveness of European industry in using the rapidly developing software engineering methods. The main objective is to establish a world-leading network of excellence in experimental software engineering (ESE). The object of experimentation is in component-based software engineering. ESERNET will perform co-ordinated and repeatable experiments across a wide variety of applications and cultural environments. The results will be packaged and made available through web-based repositories, web-pages, conferences, and other dissemination actions. ESE research requires the co-operation of industry and academia. ESERNET includes an open consortium with a unique combination of 29 members and additional associated organisations from industry, academia, and research with a complementary expertise covering all the required technical competencies.

OBJECTIVES
To establish a world-leading network of excellence in Experimental Software Engineering (ESE), the object of experimentation is in Component-based Software Engineering. The results are used for continuous product and process improvement as a means to improve industrial competitiveness and innovation potential.
1) Establish an infrastructure for a collaboration network.
2) Experimental evaluation and packaging of software engineering methods
3) Use ESE methods to facilitate systematic introduction of new methods
4) Create synergy from a variety of projects and organisations
5) To disseminate and exploit all the results
6) Accelerate community-wide learning in software engineering.
7) Collaboration and knowledge exchange within and between industry and research

DESCRIPTION OF WORK
ESERNET reuses results from various European (ESPINODEs, VASIE) and global networks (ISERN), from past projects (PROFES, PERFECT, REBOOT, ESSI etc.) and current EU and national projects (CORONET, CLARIFI, etc.).

ESERNET has a strong basis in a very successful network called International Software Engineering Research Network (ISERN), which was initiated in 1994.
1) MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION. A clear management structure and responsibilities ensure effective performance of the project. Web-based communication and information sharing infrastructure facilitate effective communication. Regular workshops and technical meetings further improve communication.
2) EXPERIMENTAL METHODS IN SOFTWARE ENGINEERING. ESERNET provides a public information centre for experimental software engineering. It will include a web-based repository, on-line tutorial, and links to experts and service providers.
3) EXPERIMENTS. Co-ordination of the parallel replicated experiments. Coaching the experiments will be provided by the ESERNET experts. The work in the experimental projects is not included in ESERNET.
4) SOFTWARE ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE REPOSITORIES. Packaging the results of the experiments. Already before the experiments are carried out, the web-based repository will be populated by existing information (e.g. PROFES project repositories) and by close bi-directional links with VASIE.
5) EXPLOITATION. The exploitation activities will have strong industrial focus. The 13 industrial members ensure immediate exploitation, which is further enhanced by the six applied research partners via their international clientele.
6) DISSEMINATION. European wide dissemination via workshops, conferences, web repositories, newsletters, publications, training courses, and short-term personnel exchange.