Interested in participating in a research infrastructure on the European roadmap?
Research infrastructures on the European roadmap by the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) are in principal open for participation by researchers from all over Europe. However, various demands, expectations and sometimes financial obligations often apply, depending on the stage of the lifecycle of a given project.
Are you or your institution interested in participating in a research infrastructure on the European roadmap, we recommended you to contact The Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education (DAFSHE). Together we can assess the Danish scientific wishes and interests seen in relation to the project in question and discuss the further process.
Conditions for participation in ESFRI projects
In order for Danish researchers to gain access to a European research infrastructure it is often a requirement that the founding agreement for the infrastructure is signed from Danish side – usually by DAFSHE or a Danish research institution.
The obligations for participating in projects are very different, depending on the lifecycle stage of the research infrastructure; if the project is at idea-level, under preparation or in operation.
ESFRI proposals are projects at idea-level, which ESFRI will consider to adopt on the European roadmap for research infrastructures.
ESFRI projects are projects under preparation, which formally have been adopted on the European roadmap for research infrastructure. Roadmap projects have been assessed by ESFRI to be scientifically relevant and mature enough for establishment within a ten-year period.
Denmark has the opportunity to participate in the preparation work in ESFRI projects. Whether it is relevant that Denmark participates in the preparation phase must depend on a concrete assessment. The preparation is used to determine the economic, organisational, legal and technical framework for the infrastructure, as well as to establish common statutes that the member countries can agree on.
It will often be associated with a significant resource investment if Denmark is to be involved early in the preparation of a European research infrastructure project. On the other hand, participation in the preparation phase may sometimes be important to ensure that Danish interests and wishes are met at the establishment of the research infrastructure.
DAFSHE may, after further agreement, contribute to the preparatory work, but no financial support from DAFSHE can be expected for the preparatory work. It is a prerequisite that there is active participation from the Danish scientists involved. There will often be a possibility for ESFRI projects to receive support through the EU framework program for the preparatory work.
ESFRI landmarks are projects in operation that previously were on ESFRI's roadmap and are now under construction or completed.
There are a number of general conditions for participation in ESFRI projects and ESFRI landmarks, which are being implemented with the status of ERIC (Agreement on European Research Infrastructure Consortium) or the like. Several of the conditions may also apply to the participation in preparation of projects. Since Denmark - in the form of DAFSHE - accepts a number of obligations and a financial burden by signing a contract of participation, the following applies:
Funding of the membership must be agreed upon before Denmark seeks admission. The participating institutions can finance the membership themselves. In that case, a cooperation agreement between DAFSHE and the consortium will be made regarding the conditions for DAFSHE to sign an agreement. Alternatively, co-financing from DAFSHE via the National Fund for Research Infrastructures can be obtained if it is part of a proposal on the Danish Roadmap for Research Infrastructure 2015, which has received funding.
As a starting point, an agreement between the participating institutions and DAFSHE is drawn up to ensure that Denmark's commitment in the research infrastructure is guaranteed for a period of at least ten years.
Secondly, a national and non-exclusive consortium that seeks to involve all relevant and interested national parties must be established. The consortium will be responsible for the Danish participation in the project. Furthermore, all interested Danish researchers must have access to the finalised research infrastructure no matter their institutional affiliation. DAFSHE recommends that a cooperation agreement between the relevant research institutions is drawn up, which outlines responsibility, rights and cost allocation in relation to the administration of the Danish membership of the research infrastructure.