ESFRI Forum in Szeged: Discussions on the Future of Research Infrastructures and Preparation of the 2026 Roadmap

Founded in 2002, ESFRI promotes a strategic approach to research infrastructures in Europe, coordinating multilateral initiatives to enhance the efficient use and development of these infrastructures. Since 2006, ESFRI has regularly published the ESFRI Roadmap, which highlights key research infrastructures supporting the European scientific community and the development of the European Research Area.

Participants of the meeting were welcomed by ESFRI Chair José Luis Martínez and Gábor Szabó, Chair of the Board of the University of Szeged. Around sixty representatives from political and academic circles of EU member states and associated countries attended the event. Discussions focused on the future of ESFRI, preparations for the 2026 Roadmap, contributions to the upcoming FP10 framework program, and other European initiatives such as the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) and technological infrastructures.

“We are discussing how best to support the involvement and visibility of research infrastructures within the EOSC ecosystem. We are considering how to enhance their role in the governance of EOSC,” said Jan Hrušák from the J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry and a member of the ESFRI-EOSC Task Force, whose mandate has been extended until the end of 2026.

The final part of the program included a visit to the ELI-ALPS laser research infrastructure in Szeged. Allen Weeks, Director General of ELI ERIC, presented the research opportunities offered by all three components of the ELI project – ELI Beamlines in Dolní Břežany, ELI-ALPS in Szeged, and ELI-NP in Magurele. The ESFRI delegates then toured the laboratories equipped with unique lasers that enable groundbreaking research in fields such as biology, medicine, physics, chemistry, materials engineering, space research, and nanotechnology.