Research infrastructures
Highlights
Call for proposals 2010-1: 79 proposals submitted
The Research Infrastructures call for proposals FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES-2010-1 closed on 3 December 2009.
79 proposals have been received, covering all topics called (targeted approach): 50 for Integrating Activities, 11 for Preparatory Phase and 18 for support to Policy and Programme Implementation.
The evaluation of proposals by independent external experts started on 18 December 2009, first with a remote phase of individual assessments, which will be then resumed via on-site consensus and panel discussions in Brussels from 8 to 12 February 2010. Information letters to the applicants are expected to be sent in March 2010 and the negotiation sessions for the successful proposals should be launched in May 2010.
Useful documents for this call.
Find calls for this themeObjective
The overall objective of the ‘Research infrastructures’ part of the FP7 Capacities programme is to optimise the use and development of the best research infrastructures existing in Europe. Furthermore, it aims to help to create new research infrastructures of pan-European interest in all fields of science and technology. The European scientific community needs these to remain at the forefront of the advancement of research, and they will help industry to strengthen its base of knowledge and technological know how.
Why is it important?
Knowledge generation and, by implication, innovation, directly depend on the quality and availability of research infrastructures, which include facilities such as observatories, data banks, radiation sources and communication networks.
What will be funded?
Support to existing research infrastructures:
- Integrating Activities - providing a wider and more efficient access to, and use of, the research infrastructures exiting in EU Member States, Associated Countries and at international level when appropriate (including: transnational access, joint research and networking;
- ICT-based e-Infrastructures - supporting a number of interrelated topics designed to foster the emergence of a new research environment in which ‘virtual communities’ share and exploit the collective power of European scientific and engineering facilities.
Support to new research infrastructures:
- Design Studies – concepts for new research infrastructures with clear European dimension and interest;
- Construction of new infrastructures - providing catalytic and leveraging support for the preparatory phase for the construction of new research infrastructures.
Accompanying Measures
- Policy development - supporting, in the context of building up the European Research Area and including international cooperation, the coordination of national and/or regional policies and programmes in the field of research infrastructures;
- Programme implementation and support to emerging needs - supporting the effective implementation of this programme by fostering cooperation among National Contact Points (NCPs) and promoting measures to identify emerging needs.
Calls
The European Commission will fund ‘Research infrastructures’ activities by selecting project proposals submitted following the publication of a ‘Call for proposals’. The calls of the ‘Research infrastructures’ Work Programme are announced on this page. Read more…
Budget
The EU Member States have earmarked over € 1.8 billion for funding this theme over the duration of FP7.
Project management
In addition to the standard guidelines and procedures for FP7 projects, available in the left menu under "Find a document", specific instructions for the reporting and management of Integrating Activities need to be followed.European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI)
The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) has published its ‘European roadmap on research infrastructures’ for the next 10 to 20 years 2006. This roadmap has been updated in 2008:
- European Roadmap on Research Infrastructures (Report 2008) [PDF]
While EU Member States remain central to the development and financing of infrastructures, the European Community can and should play a catalysing and leveraging role by helping to ensure wider and more efficient access to, and use of, the infrastructures existing in the different EU Member States. Community actions should also stimulate the coordinated development and networking of these infrastructures, and foster the emergence of new research infrastructures of pan-European interest with a medium to long term vision.
Previous relevant European activities on research infrastructures
See: http://cordis.europa.eu/infrastructures/
The Commission published a working document on research infrastructures in FP7 [PDF] setting out how Research infrastructures of European interest will be developed using a mechanism similar to the one used for the trans-European networks (TENs). This approach will require the development of a vision and roadmap for research infrastructures in Europe in the next 10 to 20 years, and the development of a new operational mechanism, drawing on experience from the TENs.
The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), launched in April 2002, has now published this strategic ‘European roadmap on research infrastructures’ for the next 10 to 20 years. Formerly, in an initial stage, ESFRI presented its first 'List of Opportunities' to the Commission in April 2005, listing 23 research infrastructure projects that could be prioritised for funding to meet the research community's needs.
In the stakeholder consultation [PDF] on the European Commission’s Communication on the future of European research many participants stressed the importance of research infrastructure to Europe's research performance, citing examples such as CERN and the GEANT network. The need to cover a wide range of disciplines, including social sciences and humanities, as well as the need for industrially relevant infrastructure, was mentioned.
The Commission also conducted a 'Survey of European Research Infrastructures', which closed in January 2005, calling for research infrastructure stakeholders to help map the existing infrastructures as well as those under construction within the next two years.
The European Research Advisory Board (EURAB), has also published its recommendations [PDF] on European Research infrastructures.
Last updated on: 2010-01-07