Research Infrastructures (RIs) are facilities, resources, and services that are used by the research communities to conduct research. The majority of funding for RI construction and operation is granted at national level, hence a co-ordinated development of future policies and funding schemes is crucial to improve efficiency.
Research Infrastructures (RIs) are of fundamental strategic importance in the context of the European Research Area (ERA). Excellence in research requires top infrastructures for data collection, management, processing, analysing, and archiving.
Science Europe aims to facilitate meaningful dialogue between RI funders, operators, and the scientific communities; provide guidance and promote mutual learning by sharing best-practices; ensure relevant consolidated contributions to ERA initiatives related to RIs; and liaise with the relevant stakeholders at European and global levels.
In November 2018, Science Europe, together with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Global Science Forum (GSF), launched a joint activity on ‘Optimising the Use and Operation of National Research Infrastructures’ and produced guiding Models for optimising the operation and use of research infrastructures at national level.
This activity builds on Science Europe’s previous exploratory work on the notion of portfolio of RIs conducted in 2016-2017 by a dedicated Working Group on RIs.
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In May, Science Europe responded to a Call for Evidence by the European Commission on a European Strategy on Research and Technology Infrastructures. The response outlines a number of considerations to be taken towards these infrastructures, which are of fundamental and strategic importance to the ERA.
2023 proved to be another landmark year for Science Europe: building on the achievements of the previous year and setting the direction for new approaches in vital areas of research policy.
This briefing on the ERA Policy Agenda presents actions and advocacy points from Science Europe on the ERA Actions that it contributes to.
In 2022, Science Europe made significant contributions in various areas, including research culture, research assessment, open science, EU framework programmes, the green and digital transition, and science communication.
Science Europe's 2022 Annual Report highlights the most important achievements of 2022 on Science Europe’s priority topics, including research culture, research assessment, open science, EU framework programmes, the green and digital transition, and science communication.
Science Europe participates in an OECD Expert Group on ‘Very Large Research Infrastructures’ (VLRIs), and as a satellite meeting of the main International Conference on Research Infrastructures (ICRI 2022), the Expert Group met in Brno (Czech Republic) on 17 October to host a workshop dedicated to the topics of VLRI financing, impact, and long-term strategies.
For Science Europe, 2021 was a very important year: the association celebrated its 10th year of existence. Founded in 2011, it has grown into a respected and influential voice in the European research policy debate. Moreover, we published a new Strategy Plan for 2021–2026, which maps our collective objectives and sets a specific yet flexible action framework over the next five years.
Substantial discrepancies exist in European research and innovation capacity. To support capacity-building in European countries with lower R&I performance, Science Europe and its Task Force on Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence are launching a series of activities.
Now in its 6th edition, the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) Roadmap for 2021 includes 41 European Research Infrastructures which have already been implemented (Landmarks), and 22 RI Projects that are in their preparatory phase. This totals an investment of over 20 billion Euros. The 2021 edition includes 11 new research infrastructure projects.
