On Wednesday, September 18th, PANACEA's project manager, Raphaële Coulon, took part in a workshop on the development, sustainability, and inclusion of Research Infrastructures (RIs) in Europe.
The event was co-organized by the Europlanet Society and the Hungarien Research Network (HUN-REN) held in Budapest, Hungary, symbolizing the Hungarian presidency at the Council of Europe.
The workshop brought together an array of stakeholders, including members of ESFRI delegations, the European Research Area's Research Infrastructures (ERA RI), coordinators of various ERIC consortiums, members of the Europlanet Society, the HUN-REN delegation, and other key participants.
This gathering provided a valuable platform for exchanging ideas and perspectives on the sustainability, growth, and inclusivity of European RIs.
The first segment of the workshop featured a plenary session titled “Models of ERA RIs and their Sustainability,” followed by a panel discussion and Q&A session. During this, participants explored the ESFRI landscape and other ERA RI sustainability models, as exemples; LEAP, ICOS, and NEPHEWS. The discussions focused on financing opportunities, development strategies, along with the role of the research community in creating new roadmaps and networks that support their sustainability.
The second part of the event was centered on a plenary session titled “Widening Participation in the ERA – The Role of RIs,” followed by another panel discussion. Presentations delved into the geographical distribution of EU RIs and the situation in less-represented regions. Success stories from eastern European countries, including ELI-ERIC, CERIC-ERIC, and ATOMKI, were highlighted as exemplary integrated and sustainable models.
Overall, the workshop served as a crucial forum for dialogue on sustainability models and opportunities for RIs in Europe. It also addressed the gaps, challenges, and needs that shape current and future roadmaps and policy-making initiatives. Altogether, crucial information to consider for the long-term sustainability of the PANACEA user base and network.
