More than 90 young scientists from 37 European countries —as well as from other parts of the world— gathered in Benasque to take part in the 2025 European School of High-Energy Physics, held from 15 to 18 October at the Pedro Pascual Science Center in this town of the Aragonese Pyrenees, located 1,140 meters above sea level.

The students (all of them at the doctoral stage) had the opportunity to attend lectures on the most recent advances in particle physics, delivered by world-renowned experts in their respective fields. In addition, each day the lectures were complemented by discussion sessions, where participants were able to explore the topics in greater depth with the support of emerging physicists who acted as group leaders.

The programme also included a professional course on scientific communication and outreach, complemented by a hands-on project in which students created multimedia content aimed at creatively presenting the latest developments in the field to the general public. Another highlight of the school was an interactive question-and-answer session with the CERN Director-General, Fabiola Gianotti, who shared with the students her views on the current state and future prospects of particle physics in Europe and worldwide.

Salvador Martí García, member of the IFIC, CSIC research scientist, and chair of the local organising committee, remarked that “it has been a pleasure to share these days with the young participants and the experts. The organisational effort was well worth it. It is gratifying to see how the students have taken full advantage of all aspects of the school, and I am pleased to think that it has contributed to their training. Without a doubt, they will keep an extraordinary memory of this experience.”

For his part, Manuel Asorey, Professor at the University of Zaragoza, Director of the Pedro Pascual Science Center, and member of the school’s local organising committee, stated that “it has been an honour to host this prestigious school promoted by CERN for its contribution to the training of future physicists. The combination of lectures and discussion sessions has proved very effective for all participants. Moreover, they made the most of their scarce free time to discover the stimulating environment of the Aragonese Pyrenees.”

Víctor Martín Lozano, also a member of the IFIC, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Valencia, and discussion group leader, commented that “for young physicists, this school not only allows them to learn from the best in their field, but also encourages PhD students to take the initiative, foster discussions on the topics addressed, and actively participate in them. This aspect is very important for their scientific development. It also allows them to get to know their peers with whom they will share their future research careers.”

This edition of the European School of High-Energy Physics featured strong participation from Spain in general, and from Valencia in particular, with S. Martí (IFIC) and M. Asorey (U. Zaragoza) in the organising committee; V. M. Lozano (IFIC), together with J. Fuentes (U. Granada) and C. Murgui (CERN) as discussion group leaders; and D. Blas (IFAE), J. Fuster (IFIC), J. I. Illana (U. Granada), A. Moralejo (IFAE), M. Tórtola (IFIC), and A. Soto (U. Granada) as lecturers.

The European School of High-Energy Physics is organised annually in a CERN Member State, continuing a long tradition of similar courses dating back to the 1960s. The 2025 edition marks the fourth time the school has been held in Spain. Previous editions took place in El Escorial (1968), Mallorca (1990), and Sant Feliu de Guíxols (2004).

More information about the 2025 School:
https://indico.cern.ch/event/1531763/

General information about the European Schools:
https://physicsschool.web.cern.ch/eshep-history

Members of the organising committee:
https://indico.cern.ch/event/1531763/page/38319-eshep-2025-committees