ESFRI publishes Roadmap 2021 Guide as part of roadmap update process
ESFRI, the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures, has announced the launch of the Roadmap 2021 Update, a two-year process (2020 and 2021) that will lead to the creation of a new ESFRI roadmap. The updated roadmap is set to be published in autumn 2021.
The development of research infrastructures is a key objective of EU research policy. ESFRI promotes European research infrastructure policy by bringing together representatives of the European Commission and EU member states and associated countries.
An essential part of this cooperation is the efficient utilisation and development of existing research infrastructures and the design and construction of new international-level research infrastructures. ESFRI projects require major investments in the construction phase and long-term financial commitment also in the future. The cooperation has contributed to building a significant number of high-quality research infrastructures in Europe, enabling new research issues to be solved and increasing our understanding of the environment and society.
In support of the development work, ESFRI has drawn up a total of five roadmaps between 2006 and 2018 for research infrastructure projects that are of key future importance.
For the updated ESFRI roadmap, each member state will submit its own proposals for new projects to be selected. Proposals on planned infrastructures must have the support of both the funder and the relevant ministry. Based on the proposals, the Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee at the Academy of Finland will deliver a proposal to the relevant ministry on projects central to Finland to be submitted to the roadmap.
Read more about the roadmap update on ESFRI’s website.
Finland’s national process
- The Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee will open a national call for proposals on projects to be included in the ESFRI roadmap.
- The Committee will assess the proposals based on, for example, Finland’s national roadmap and ESFRI’s criteria.
- The Committee will prepare recommendations on Finland’s participation in the project proposals. If Finland is to act as the leader of the roadmap proposal, the proposal will be sent to ESFRI via Finland’s ESFRI delegates. The Committee will also draw up recommendations to the relevant ministry on the so-called expressions of political support required of Finland. The expressions of support concern both the research infrastructure proposals in which Finland is involved and those in which Finland is the lead country.
- The deadline for submitting proposals to ESFRI is 5 May 2020 at 18.00 CET.
Guidelines
Proposals are invited in two categories:
a) proposals where Finland is the lead country
b) proposals where Finnish research infrastructures are involved.
The proposals must include the following information:
- Draft proposal to be sent to ESFRI
- free-form letter (no more than 2 pages) describing
- the research infrastructur
- Finland’s scientific and operational responsibilities and opportunities in European cooperatio
- the added value European research infrastructure cooperation in this field will bring to research, education, business cooperation and/or societ
- Finland’s financial responsibilities.
Please submit all proposals by email to the Academy of Finland’s Registrar’s Office at kirjaamo(a)aka.fi by 24 February 2020 at 12.00.
Processing schedule
4 March 2020: Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee discusses proposals
The Committee decides on the recommendations on the roadmap proposals to be presented to the ministry/ministries concerned and on the funding organisation letter. The ministries will then make their own decisions on supporting the proposals.
29 April 2020: Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee discusses proposals (possible second meeting)
If further clarification of proposals is required after the March meeting, the Committee will make the decisions at this meeting.
