Research Council of Finland to introduce changes in call for roadmap research infrastructures

In spring 2024, the Research Council of Finland will open a call for applications for the Roadmap for Finnish Research Infrastructures. The new roadmap covers the years 2025–2028. The changes in the call particularly concern the funding of research infrastructures selected for the roadmap.

The Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee has outlined reforms that concern roadmap calls. In future, the roadmap calls will also include applications for funding. Applicants may apply for both access to the roadmap and up to five years of funding. The funding will be granted to the selected research infrastructures in two stages.

The research infrastructures selected for the roadmap will also be grouped. This means that the best research infrastructures in the call will be highlighted as so-called landmarks. The primary benefit of the landmark status is that all landmark research infrastructures will receive their funding in the first group for the period 2025–2029. The rest of the selected research infrastructures will receive funding for 2026(7)–2030(1).

The details of the roadmap call process will be discussed further at the December meeting of the Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee, during which the Committee will determine the criteria and definitions for the landmarks. Information on these will be provided on the Research Council of Finland’s website and other communication channels.

The call reform is based on feedback and development proposals received in connection with the evaluation of the Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. According to the development proposals, the roadmap should have a clearer role and link to the research infrastructure strategy. The feedback also highlighted that the roadmap should be a tangible economic benefit for the infrastructures on it, especially in order to ensure their long-term development.

Preliminary schedule of the call for roadmap applications:

• Call for applications published in early March 2024
• Information session on the call in March 2024
• Call opens in April 2024 and closes no later than 16 May 2024.