Fourteen people from ten different countries have gathered in Zurich 1 September 2005 to hold a workshop in which the following options have been discussed:

• create a network continuing training in the addiction field
• organize a symposium later on
• publish the country reports written

so far 22 and 23 January 2006 a group met in Rome, in order to continue the further workings. The main outcome: It was decided...

• to postpone the idea of an international network organising symposia, providing a regularly updated homepage etc.
• instead, to set up an international think tank (I-ThETA, International Think Tank for (continuing) Education and Training on Addiction) of people who agree to activities to be determined
• to prepare an enlarged publication on the country reports and additional papers by 2006
• to reconvene 3 September, just before the next ICAA congress in Edinburgh, where the mission statement, the activities, the commitment of members and the structure will be decided
• to have an infrastructure for the time being offered by the Swiss secretariat of the Commission of continuing education

The inaugural meeting of I-ThETA has taken place in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Sunday, September 3rd 2006: The I-ThETA has considered the following aspects relating to continuing education:

• its role in the improvement of services, providing greater efficacy and efficiency,
• its function in the improvement of the status of professionals working in the field,
• the exchange of information on helpful strategies in the provision of continuing education and examples of best practice.