"Our goal is to create the best conditions for excellent research in Europe", said Federal Research Minister Schavan on Tuesday when she opened the 4th European Conference on Research Infrastructures (ECRI2007) in Hamburg together with EU Research Commissioner Janez Potočnik. "Internationally competitive infrastructures are of central importance for excellent science. They are vital for increasing the attractiveness and global competitiveness of the European Research Area and for winning the best researchers for Europe".
Approximately 450 representatives of science, politics and industry have come to Hamburg to discuss the further development of research infrastructures at European level. The Conference was organized by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the framework of the German EU Council Presidency together with the European Commission and the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI). It provides a forum for the discussion of science policy issues connected with the planning, construction and operation of research infrastructures in all scientific disciplines. The range of topics is wide: from traditional large facilities in the field of basic scientific research, like accelerators and telescopes, to libraries and databases for the life sciences, the humanities and social sciences.
According to Minister Schavan, Germany plays a leading role in the provision and use of research infrastructures in Europe. "We continue to be prepared to face the increasing challenges of globalization and to contribute our national expertise and experience at European and global level", she said. The main objective of the two-day conference is to look for ways for further improving the framework conditions for the establishment of new research infrastructures.
Issues to be considered are the selection of suitable legal forms and the development of a strategy at European level. The first European roadmap for research infrastructures which ESFRI recently presented plays an important role in this connection. Minister Schavan pointed out that it is necessary to establish joint decision-making processes and viable funding strategies so that efforts can be made to implement the ESFRI Roadmap.
"The increasing internationalization of research infrastructures requires new strategies", said Schavan. According to the Minister, the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures, which is composed of representatives of European countries and the European Commission, is a suitable platform, which enables informal talks and discussions for developing joint strategies and implementing new research infrastructure projects.
Details of the conference are available on the Internet at http://www.ecri2007.de. For further information on European research policy and the German EU Council Presidency please visit www.bmbf.de and www.eu2007.de.
