Periodic Reporting for period 2 - StR-ESFRI2 (Support to Reinforce the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2020-09-01 al 2022-04-30
The overall objective of the StR-ESFRI2 project is to reinforce the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) under the guidance of its Chair, providing additional resources, tools and expertise in performing its activities and supporting its structures. In this way the EC's ESFRI Secretariat will be strengthened with additional resources and tools, and high-quality support will be made available to critical activities that ESFRI deems necessary for developing a strategy-lead policy on Research Infrastructures in Europe. The project builds on the experience of CoPoRI and StR-ESFRI1. StR-ESFRI2 is a 3 year "Coordination and Support Action" that aims to:
-Support the ESFRI Chair
-Support the implementation of ESFRI activities
-Foster cooperation between ESFRI and key policy e-Infrastructure stakeholders
-Support the review and monitoring of ESFRI RIs using appropriate tools
-Identify and share best practices on RI processes and facilitate exchange of experiences
-Communicate, engage and raise awareness of ESFRI related outputs to the European and global research infrastructures area, and its impacts on society at large
-Support the ESFRI Chair
-Support the implementation of ESFRI activities
-Foster cooperation between ESFRI and key policy e-Infrastructure stakeholders
-Support the review and monitoring of ESFRI RIs using appropriate tools
-Identify and share best practices on RI processes and facilitate exchange of experiences
-Communicate, engage and raise awareness of ESFRI related outputs to the European and global research infrastructures area, and its impacts on society at large
The main achievements over the lifetime of the project can be summarised for each of the project Work Packages as detailed below.
WP1 - Project Management (UKRI)
a. Overall project coordination & financial administration, supervised the progress of all work packages and tasks.
b. Provided technology platform and support for virtual ESFRI forum meetings during pandemic
c. Input to ESFRI considerations on future ESFRI support structures in context of White Paper
d. Preparation and agreement of a grant agreement amendment to extend project until 30/4/2022
WP2 - Support to ESFRI Chair (HIPC)
a. Supported ESFRI Chair in all ESFRI related activities
b. Supported preparation of ESFRI´s main strategy document, ESFRI White Paper “Making Science Happen”
c. Coordinated communication with ESFRI RIs during the COVID-19 outbreak
d. Transition to the new ESFRI Chair (12/21) and initial support to the new ESFRI Chair via a sub-contract with University of Ljubljana.
WP3 – Support implementation of ESFRI activities (UMIL)
a. Provided overall support for the ESFRI Roadmap 2021 process.
b. Organised InfoDay for the launch of the RM process
c. Supported development of ESFRI MoS, monitoring system for evaluation
d. Publication and launch of the ESFRI Roadmap 2021 (12/21).
WP4 – Communication, dissemination, and engagement (Athena RC)
a. Design & implementation of strategic plan on Communication & Outreach
b. Design and activation of new/renewed branding for ESFRI products
c. Creation of content & expansion of followship of ESFRI social media outlets
d. Logistics support, concept development, communication activities & dissemination material for events
e. Support for the ESFRI @ 20 events in Paris (3/22), including the high-level launch of the ESFRI Stakeholder Forum
f. Initial design of the ESFRI Stakeholders Forum platform and launch of the Stakeholders engagement process.
WP5 – Fostering cooperation between ESFRI and e-infrastructures (UKRI/Athena RC)
a. Supported ESFRI on e-Infrastructure and data related activities, including support to ESFRI Task Force on EOSC
b. Preparation and delivery of three ESFRI RIs-EOSC workshops
c. Co-organisation of a session at the EOSC Symposium, on 6/21
d. Established liaison with the EOSC Association and EOSC projects.
WP6 – Support review & monitoring of RIs through appropriate tools (Athena RC)
a. Scoping, design, implementation & support of the ESFRI MoS system
b. Support of the evaluation of new proposals and the monitoring of the ESFRI projects through the online ESFRI MoS system.
c. Implemented proposal submission questionnaire and project questionnaires through ESFRI MoS’s survey system
d. Helpdesk setup & operation for ESFRI MoS end users
e. Further enhancement of the ESFRI MoS to include, eg, search and filtering facilities.
WP7 – Sharing of best practices on RI processes (HIPC)
a. Organised exchange of experience workshop on “Future of Research Infrastructures in the ERA” Nov. 2019
b. Organised and supported three Exchange of Experience workshops (11/19, 11/21 & 4/22).
WP1 - Project Management (UKRI)
a. Overall project coordination & financial administration, supervised the progress of all work packages and tasks.
b. Provided technology platform and support for virtual ESFRI forum meetings during pandemic
c. Input to ESFRI considerations on future ESFRI support structures in context of White Paper
d. Preparation and agreement of a grant agreement amendment to extend project until 30/4/2022
WP2 - Support to ESFRI Chair (HIPC)
a. Supported ESFRI Chair in all ESFRI related activities
b. Supported preparation of ESFRI´s main strategy document, ESFRI White Paper “Making Science Happen”
c. Coordinated communication with ESFRI RIs during the COVID-19 outbreak
d. Transition to the new ESFRI Chair (12/21) and initial support to the new ESFRI Chair via a sub-contract with University of Ljubljana.
WP3 – Support implementation of ESFRI activities (UMIL)
a. Provided overall support for the ESFRI Roadmap 2021 process.
b. Organised InfoDay for the launch of the RM process
c. Supported development of ESFRI MoS, monitoring system for evaluation
d. Publication and launch of the ESFRI Roadmap 2021 (12/21).
WP4 – Communication, dissemination, and engagement (Athena RC)
a. Design & implementation of strategic plan on Communication & Outreach
b. Design and activation of new/renewed branding for ESFRI products
c. Creation of content & expansion of followship of ESFRI social media outlets
d. Logistics support, concept development, communication activities & dissemination material for events
e. Support for the ESFRI @ 20 events in Paris (3/22), including the high-level launch of the ESFRI Stakeholder Forum
f. Initial design of the ESFRI Stakeholders Forum platform and launch of the Stakeholders engagement process.
WP5 – Fostering cooperation between ESFRI and e-infrastructures (UKRI/Athena RC)
a. Supported ESFRI on e-Infrastructure and data related activities, including support to ESFRI Task Force on EOSC
b. Preparation and delivery of three ESFRI RIs-EOSC workshops
c. Co-organisation of a session at the EOSC Symposium, on 6/21
d. Established liaison with the EOSC Association and EOSC projects.
WP6 – Support review & monitoring of RIs through appropriate tools (Athena RC)
a. Scoping, design, implementation & support of the ESFRI MoS system
b. Support of the evaluation of new proposals and the monitoring of the ESFRI projects through the online ESFRI MoS system.
c. Implemented proposal submission questionnaire and project questionnaires through ESFRI MoS’s survey system
d. Helpdesk setup & operation for ESFRI MoS end users
e. Further enhancement of the ESFRI MoS to include, eg, search and filtering facilities.
WP7 – Sharing of best practices on RI processes (HIPC)
a. Organised exchange of experience workshop on “Future of Research Infrastructures in the ERA” Nov. 2019
b. Organised and supported three Exchange of Experience workshops (11/19, 11/21 & 4/22).
ESFRI has taken concrete steps towards increasing the direct and indirect impact of RIs to address societal challenges, where StR-ESFRI played a key supporting role. Although the primary work is done by ESFRI, its WGs and Task Forces, support actions such as technical and policy editing, publishing, organisation of events, communication & dissemination, along with exchange of experiences and best practices between the national and/or regional policies and programmes enhance the likelihood of a higher impact. The STR-ESFRI2 project has been contributing to all the impact areas of the work programme, having a direct relation with the objectives of the project.
The Roadmap 2021, published in December 2021, incorporates newly developed processes and tools such as the new ESFRI MoS that was developed by StR-ESFRI2, which is also being used to monitor the corresponding set of projects for this Roadmap iteration. Such enhanced support with new tools in the hands of ESFRI will increase the probability to reach and exceed its challenging goals. Support actions to RIs are much needed, especially, but not only, in the early implementation phases. Officially launched RIs may still face fragile financial and human resource conditions concerning ramping up to full operation and medium-long term exploitation.
ESFRI has continued to develop a European approach to Research Infrastructure policy as a key element of the emerging ERA. Europe’s Research Infrastructures are decisive for the capacity to deliver scientific breakthroughs and to foster innovation. Taking into account the need to address the societal challenges that Europe and the world are facing, science has an important mission to lead and prepare the necessary economic, social and environmental transitions. In this realm, ESFRI with the support of StR-ESFRI2 developed the ESFRI White Paper 2020 entitled “Making Science Happen: A new ambition for Research Infrastructures in the European Research Area”. The paper ESFRI lays out the specific role RIs can play in this context and contributed to the development of the new ERA. ESFRI demonstrated the strategic role of RIs in addressing complex societal challenges, for example, the role of RIs in the fight against COVID-19, which also showcased how RIs can have a direct impact on the society, including research on treatments and vaccines, and support for developing new diagnostic methods. March 2022 saw the high-level launch of the new ESFRI Stakeholder Forum, and the initial design of the ESFRI Stakeholders Forum platform and launch of the Stakeholders engagement process.
StR-ESFRI2 supported the ESFRI Task Force on EOSC and related ESFRI initiatives to foster the collaboration among RIs and e-Infrastructures towards the development of a robust quality control system on scientific data to become open, and to promote the reuse of common e-Infrastructure or RI services, leading towards a service-oriented RI ecosystem. StR-ESFRI2 supported three ESFRI RIs-EOSC workshops, two as virtual events delivered in October 2020 and January 2022. This continued to strengthen support to ESFRI enhancing the prospect of reaching its challenging goal, and thus achieving a higher impact.
The Roadmap 2021, published in December 2021, incorporates newly developed processes and tools such as the new ESFRI MoS that was developed by StR-ESFRI2, which is also being used to monitor the corresponding set of projects for this Roadmap iteration. Such enhanced support with new tools in the hands of ESFRI will increase the probability to reach and exceed its challenging goals. Support actions to RIs are much needed, especially, but not only, in the early implementation phases. Officially launched RIs may still face fragile financial and human resource conditions concerning ramping up to full operation and medium-long term exploitation.
ESFRI has continued to develop a European approach to Research Infrastructure policy as a key element of the emerging ERA. Europe’s Research Infrastructures are decisive for the capacity to deliver scientific breakthroughs and to foster innovation. Taking into account the need to address the societal challenges that Europe and the world are facing, science has an important mission to lead and prepare the necessary economic, social and environmental transitions. In this realm, ESFRI with the support of StR-ESFRI2 developed the ESFRI White Paper 2020 entitled “Making Science Happen: A new ambition for Research Infrastructures in the European Research Area”. The paper ESFRI lays out the specific role RIs can play in this context and contributed to the development of the new ERA. ESFRI demonstrated the strategic role of RIs in addressing complex societal challenges, for example, the role of RIs in the fight against COVID-19, which also showcased how RIs can have a direct impact on the society, including research on treatments and vaccines, and support for developing new diagnostic methods. March 2022 saw the high-level launch of the new ESFRI Stakeholder Forum, and the initial design of the ESFRI Stakeholders Forum platform and launch of the Stakeholders engagement process.
StR-ESFRI2 supported the ESFRI Task Force on EOSC and related ESFRI initiatives to foster the collaboration among RIs and e-Infrastructures towards the development of a robust quality control system on scientific data to become open, and to promote the reuse of common e-Infrastructure or RI services, leading towards a service-oriented RI ecosystem. StR-ESFRI2 supported three ESFRI RIs-EOSC workshops, two as virtual events delivered in October 2020 and January 2022. This continued to strengthen support to ESFRI enhancing the prospect of reaching its challenging goal, and thus achieving a higher impact.