In June 2018, ten physics graduate students from the University of Antananarivo attended the DARA unit 4 training at the Institute and Observatory of Geophysics of Antananarivo. The course was delivered by Dr Zara Randriamanakoto from the University of Cape Town, South Africa and Dr Wendy Williams from the University of Hertfordshire, UK. The training  was hosted by the Institute Director Prof Solofoarisoa Rakotoniaina, the DARA local contact person. The intensive two week training programme combined lectures and tutorials in teaching practical Radio Interferometry.

Throughout the course, the students were devoted to completing the training successfully. They were grateful for the privilege they had in embarking on this invaluable journey although it required perseverance, hard work and dedication. “This part of the training was helpful especially if one wants to pursue a postgraduate degree in radio astronomy”, says one student. Madagascar is definitely paving its way to get ready in running the AVN station.