Input to Call for Evidence on a Strategy for RIs and TIs

Science Europe submitted this response to the European Commission’s Call for Evidence on a European strategy on research and technology infrastructures in May 2025.

Science Europe has long advocated research infrastructures as fundamentally and strategically important to the ERA. Excellence in R&I requires top research and technology infrastructures, and necessitates co-operation between them to adequately support our talented R&I workforce. A European strategy for research and technology infrastructures to reinforce and strengthen co-ordinated approaches is timely and important.

Our contribution outlines a number of key considerations based on our recent and ongoing activities on this policy topic, as well as on the collective expertise of our Member Organisations. These include:

1. Reinforcing and ring-fencing funding for research infrastructures that enable fundamental research.
2. Developing a life-cycle approach to research infrastructure planning, construction, and operation to better understand the long-term requirements of these facilities, resources, and services.
3. Implementing innovative access mechanisms for researchers, such as clustered and virtual access.
4. Encouraging greater synergies between research infrastructure funding sources (national and international, public and private) to better serve research communities.

Science Europe will continue to work on and advocate a strong and co-ordinated approach to research infrastructure provision, management, and governance as a key means of fostering knowledge advancement.