The Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU held a conference in Tenerife, bringing together research infrastructures from across the world to discuss the global dimension and sustainability of Research Infrastructures.
This conference was an opportunity for Instruct-ERIC to provide its experience of global research infrastructure provision and partnerships, whilst learning from our colleagues the latest developments in international collaboration, and ongoing research sustainability.
The meeting began 25 September with a visit to the Teide Observatory, foreshadowing the aim of the meeting to look ahead to the future of research infrastructure sustainability and operating on a global scale.
Teide Observatory
The ERIC family grew with one more member, ACTRIS-ERIC, joining. ACTRIS is the European research infrastructure producing high-quality data and information on short-lived atmospheric constituents. Find out more about them here.
ACTRIS-ERIC receiving ERIC status.
Instruct-ERIC Head of Operations Claudia Alén Amaro represented Instruct-ERIC, presenting at the banner session the wide range of services, structural biology technologies, training programmes and funding opportunities for researchers worldwide. Find out more here.
Left to right: Dileine Amaral da Cunha (CNPQ), Sabina Guaylupo (EU-LAC ResInfra partner, Spanish Agency FECYT), Jose Maria Carazo (CNB-CSIC, Instruct-ES), Claudia Romano (EU-LAC ResInfra partner, AUCI), Claudia Alén Amaro (Instruct Head of Operations).
Left to right: Jose Maria Carazo (CNB-CSIC, Instruct-ES), Lucia Banci (CERM/CIRMMP, Instruct-IT), Fabio Mazzolini (MUR - Italian Ministry of University and Research, Instruct Council).
The second day began with a panel on the environmental challenge of research infrastructures. eRImote Coordinator Annika Thies was on the panel, demonstrating the importance of remote access for advancing environmental practices in research, and describing the best practices to have emerged from the project so far.
Annika Theis (Right) discussing the challenges of remote access, and solutions provided by the eRImote community
Claudia Alén Amaro then was on the panel discussing the Global Dimension of Research Infrastructures. With Instruct’s rich recent history of cooperation with global partners, particularly with significant success in Latin America following the EU-LAC ResInfra project, Claudia could point to many activities that Instruct has carried out in recent years, including:
Instruct-ERIC Head of Operations Claudia Alén Amaro discussing Instruct's international collaboration activities and impacts.
The second day also included a panel session on the International Cooperation of Research Infrastructures, which included talks from Sabina Guaylupo and Claudia Romano, both of whom were instrumental in the EU-LAC ResInfra project, in which Instruct was a partner.
Claudia Romano (second from right) and Sabina Guaylupo (Right) discuss the EU-LAC ResInfra project.
The final session of the conference was the Tenerife Declaration on Research Infrastructures, endorsed by many EU countries, and the EC. The declaration is to ensure the continued global development and sustainability of research infrastructures. Read the full declaration here.
27 September saw the ESFRI Conference, in which representatives from across Europe came together to discuss the ongoing sustainability of ESFRI members. Lucia Banci of Instruct-IT moderated the discussion on access provision.
Lucia Banci (Instruct-IT) discussing access provision at the ESFRI Conference.