Hervé Pero, DG RTD-B ERA: Research Programmes and CapacityResearch Infrastructures Unit
Towards European research infrastructures?
Research Infrastructures (incl. e-infrastructures) are:
Facilities, resources, and related services usedby the scientific community for Conducting leading-edge research Knowledge transmission, exchange and preservation
Today Research Infrastructures include Major scientific equipment Scientific collections, archives, structured information ICT-based infrastructures
Excellence of research services generally subject to periodic evaluation by international scientific committee
• RIs not only at the root but also the future of Europe,
• The current situation is forcing Europe to quickly advance on research investments, which is twice virtuous (support to research + industry),
• A new way of managing research is emerging; this is a major challenge, not scientific but mainly political...
• Europe suffers from fragmentation, • therefore networking and integration is the
way for Europe,• More than half of the ESFRI facilities are of
distributed nature, which gives opportunities for regions, small & less research intensive countries to participate in joint projects,
• Networking spirit is a European strength, but cross country is a challenge to be faced...
RI policy at EU level has no other choice than continuing
reinforcing coordination
• At EU level, • At national and regional,• At “variable geometry”,• At global level…
This explains the importantrole of ESFRI and others…
ESFRI European Strategy Forum
on Research Infrastructures
ESFRI
• Launched in April 02 by Council of Research Ministers
• Representatives of the 27 Member and Associated States + one representative of the European Commission (EC)
• Links with e-IRG
The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) has been set-up to help developing a true European policy
Environmental Sciences - 2006
AURORA BOREALIS
EURO-ARGO
COPAL
LIFEWATCH
ICOS
EMSO
IAGOS-ERI Rep
ort
2006
European Roadmap for Research Infrastructures March 2009
7 Projects
Environmental Sciences - update
EPOS
SIAEOS
EISCAT – 3D
3 Projects Rep
ort
2008
European Roadmap for Research Infrastructures March 2009
Scientific competition is today at world level
• Is Europe able to face the challenge?• Are member States
willing to think European?
• Concern! No ESFRI projectimplemented since Dec. 2006
Importance of a shared vision of ERA - with global dimension
Five initiatives in 2008a)Researchersb)Joint Programmingc) Research infrastructuresd)International S&T Cooperatione)Knowledge transfer and IP
management
Towards an ‘eco-system’ of Research Infrastructures within ERA
a)Large single-sited facilitiesb)Distributed European Facilitiesc) Regional Partner Facilitiesd)Network of national facilitiese)Linked with universities & schoolsf) Network of industrial suppliers /
users
Objectives of the CommunityResearch Infrastructures actions
Optimising the use and balanced development of the best existing research infrastructures in Europe
Helping to create in all fields of S & T new research infrastructures of pan-European interesto e.g. EMSO, ARGO, PRACE
Supporting policy development o e.g. ESFRI, e-IRG, impact studieso international cooperation
Integrating Activity in FP7
Continuation of the FP6 instrument “I3” Collaboration of existing research
infrastructures Normally all major RI’s in Europe in one field
Three types of obligatory activities Networking Activities Trans-national Access and/or Service
Activities Joint Research Activities
EC funds ~250 M€/y 2,5% of EU needs
About 300 RIs supported under FP
FP 7 future calls
Three calls for proposals for 2010-2013For WP2010 max. EC contribution 10M€, 4 years duration
A targeted approachFor each of the three calls, a list of defined
topicsEach topic corresponding to one project, Focus on strategic prioritiesMore topics will be published than can be
funded to ensure competition
78 topics in 6 fieldsEnvironmental sciences and non nuclear energyLife sciencesMathematics, computer-related sciences, dataSocial sciences and humanitiesPhysics, astronomy, nuclear-and particle
physicsAnalytical facilities and engineering
Corresponding to potential follow-up and opening the Research Infrastructure action for new communities
Environment related topics foreseen in each call
Identification of topics
Distribution of the topics between calls
Call A (WP 2010)Published Sep. 2009
Call B (WP 2011)Jan. 2011
Call C (WP 2012)Jan. 2012
36 topics
Expected number of funded projects: ~ 18-20
Budget: ~ 160 M€ Budget: ~ 100 M€ Budget: ~90 M€
21 topics
Expected number of funded projects: ~ 10
21 topics
Expected number of funded projects: ~ 12
WP 2010: topics environment (1)
Topics with existing Integrating Activity projects in the RI program
RI for long-term observation of aerosols, trace gases and clouds for atmospheric research
RI for natural hazards: seismic monitoring and seismology
RI for experimental hydraulic research on interaction of water with environment elements, of structures and on sediment dynamic, and on energy conversion
WP 2010: topics environment (2)
Topics for new communities for Integrating Activity projects
Long-term ecosystems research network of sites and experimental platforms, for multidisciplinary research and data collection
RI for polar research: interdusciplinary observation and monitoring stations including atmospheric, terrestrial and marine studies
RI for coastal research, including for integrated coastal zone management and planning
RI for water resource observation, water resource management, hydrological observation
WP 2011: topics environment
Topics with existing Integrating Activity projects in the RI program
Multidiciplinary ocean, marine and coastal data centres
RI for carbon cycle observation
Topics for new communities for Integrating Activity projects
Integrated observatories and data centres for biodiversity research
WP 2012: topics environment
Topics with existing Integrating Activity projects in the RI program
Research vesselsResearch aircrafts: generic multidisciplinary
RIsIntegrated marine stations supporting
research on aquatic ecosystems based on mesocosm studies
Atmospheric test chambers RIsRIs for earth systems modellingNatural history collections
• Pan-European interest means provision of unique laboratories or services, …
• … European scientific character should be based on the quality of research services they offer and the contributions they make to leading research efforts
• … also in terms of wider impacts (including "soft factors“)
Will IS-ENES help paving the way towards a pan-
European research infrastructure?
Evaluation criteriato be looked at…
E M I
ScienceFrontier research
Researchservices
Knowledgecreation
EuropeEU S&T
challenges GovernanceEuropean leadership
GrowthGrand
ChallengesResearch-innovation
bridge
Socio-economic impacts
Key for getting
structural funds
Will IS-ENES help paving the way towards an ‘eco-
system’ of Research Infrastructures?
a)Large single-sited facilitiesb)Distributed European Facilitiesc) Regional Partner Facilitiesd)Network of national facilitiese)Linked with universities & schoolsf) Network of industrial suppliers /
users
Let’s the ‘I3’ not forget the management of this ‘eco-system’
For further information
Research Infrastructures in Europa http://ec.europa.eu/research/infrastructures ESFRI on CORDIS http://cordis.europa.eu/esfri/
FP7 and Capacities Specific Programme http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/capacities/
Research Infrastructures on CORDIS (FP6) http://cordis.europa.eu/infrastructures/
All the best to IS-ENES !