Research Infrastructures

Research Infrastructures

In general terms, Research Infrastructures (RIs) can be defined as facilities with highly specialized capabilities, which provide resources and services for research communities to carry out research in various areas of knowledge and foster innovation.

Their aim is to provide essential services to the scientific community, both in the academic field and in the industrial field, seeking to generate sustainable collaboration spaces.

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Definition of RI

For the purpose of the EU-LAC ResInfra project and this report, the following definition of a research infrastructure is used, as formulated in Article 2 (6) of Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 (2013):

“research infrastructures (RI)’ mean facilities, resources and services that are used by the research communities to conduct research and foster innovation in their fields. Where relevant, they may be used beyond research, for example for education or public services. They include major scientific equipment or sets of instruments; knowledge-based resources such as collections, archives or scientific data; e-infrastructures such as data and computing systems and communication networks; and any other infrastructure of a unique nature essential to achieving excellence in research and innovation. Such infrastructures may be ‘single-sited’, ‘virtual’ or ‘distributed’;

The CELAC Working Group on Research Infrastructures (EU-LAC WG RI), in particular, adopted the following RI definition:

“Research infrastructures are diverse and may include: main scientific equipment, resources such as collections, archives of scientific data, e infrastructures such as data and computer systems and communication networks. They can be single-location (a single resource in a single location), distributed (a network of distributed resources), or virtual (the service is provided electronically) but with access through a single point of entry. Examples of some well-known RIs can be CERN (a single location), Coordinated Atmospheric Networks (distributed)”
Our Criteria

t was agreed by the EU-LAC WG RI that any RI to be included in the mapping must:

  • Provide a platform to conduct or facilitate research of excellence that benefits the country where the research is taking place.
  • Provide access, resources or services for private or public entities in the host nation where the research is taking place.
  • Have a certain degree of strategic importance at the national, regional or international level.

Also, RIs from CELAC included in this mapping must have fulfilled three requirements:

  • To be publicly owned.
  • To be unique in their country.
  • To be open to competition.

Therefore, RIs developed as part of short-term focused projects without long-term sustainability were left out of this work.

Scientific Areas

RI scientific areas were classified in five categories responding to specific innovation sectors in which RI activities could be potentially implemented, as follows:

Biodiversity and Climate Change
Energy
Food Safety
Health
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)
EU – LAC ResInfra

“Towards a new EU-LAC partnership in Research Infrastructures”

Logotipo ResInfra

The EU-funded EU-CELAC ResInfra project will identify CELAC research infrastructures eligible for the construction of bi-regional collaboration.

It will build on the prioritisation results of the EU-CELAC Senior Official Meeting on Science and Technology (SOM) Research Infrastructure Working Group and, more specifically, will take as a reference the mapping exercises developed in previous EU-funded projects. The project will use the results and information obtained to draft a Sustainability Plan, which will include specific actions to support bi-regional collaboration.

https://resinfra-eulac.eu/