Page 5 - Roadmap

Background

Europe’s future prosperity largely depends on how Europe can take advantage of the potential lying in scientific and tech-
nological innovation in the present economic situation generally characterised by increased competition, globalisation
and the appreciation of knowledge. This requires internationally renowned, high quality educational and research insti-
tutions, as well as access to outstanding research infrastructures (RIs).

To this end, the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) enlists the research infrastructures sig-
nificant at European level and necessary for meeting the long-term needs of European research communities in a regularly
updated document titled ESFRI Roadmap. Parallel to this, most EU member states have prepared their own national re-
search infrastructure roadmaps to map domestic RIs, assess their compatibility with European RIs and provide guidelines
for their future development.

Research infrastructures are increasingly indispensable to research communities around the world. The most advanced
RIs being implemented in Europe are highly expensive equipment, facilities or databanks the establishment and operation
of which exceed the economic capacities of a single country, therefore they are implemented in international cooperation
1
(primarily within the EU) . The technological level of these RIs is outstanding and unique even by European or interna-
tional standards, so they play a decisive role in achieving exceptional scientific results in Europe. For Hungary, the Extreme
Light Infrastructure Attosecond Light Pulse Source (ELI-ALPS) facility has particular importance: it is a major con-
tribution to laser research and can open new ways for physics, chemistry, materials science and medical biology. The facility,
which started operation gradually in late 2017, is mainly used for basic research but will also contribute to applied research
and, as a spillover effect, to industrial application.

In addition to the ELI-ALPS, there are several other research infrastructures in Hungary. These lower cost RIs can be fi-
nanced from national funds and are normally not considered as unique facilities, still, they are essential for Hungarian
researchers. To use the large scale European RIs and join the international scientific networks around them, Hungary
needs well-equipped domestic RIs. One of the main aims of the calls for proposals announced through the National Re-
search, Development and Innovation Office (NRDI Office) since 2015 have been the development of RIs. As a result, ad-
vanced equipment has been purchased and installed in many fields of science which significantly contributed to Hungarian
2
researchers’ competitiveness even in European comparison .

1 For the definition of RI see Chapter 2.4.
2 For details on the development and funding of RIs see Chapter 4.

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