FIRI 2024 roadmap call: roadmap for national research infrastructures 2025–2028

On a proposal from the Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee, the Board of the Research Council of Finland decided on a long-term plan for research infrastructures until 2030. The main objectives of the plan are linked to the Research Council of Finland’s strategy, which aims to open up new avenues for excellent, responsible and high-impact research. It presents a vision that excellent research infrastructures are the foundation of high-impact research, development and innovation.

Based on the plan, the FIRI Committee opens roadmap and funding calls and, together with other actors, develops national and international research infrastructure activities in the coming years.

The roadmap for national research infrastructures in Finland is a list of research infrastructures that are operational, under construction and/or new and that are important for Finland and will be needed in the next 10–15 years. It is a tool for the research community, governments and funders to help guide investment and support research and innovation. The research infrastructures selected for the roadmap will contribute to the objectives of the plan.

The aim of the present call is to create a roadmap to ensure that research infrastructures respond to both current and future scientific challenges by generating new knowledge, strengthening the versatile impact of research environments, remaining internationally competitive, increasing knowledge and interacting with RDI actors.

The roadmap for research infrastructures is part of the implementation of the Finnish Act on Research and Development Funding. It supports cooperation between different RDI actors and encourages investment in RDI.

Finland’s previous roadmap for research infrastructures (PDF) was published in 2020.

Applicants are requested to take into account the requirements of the research infrastructure at the current stage of its lifecycle. The research infrastructure’s lifecycle stage is taken into account in the review. In this call, research infrastructures are divided into two categories based on their lifecycle stage:

• Construction and/or implementation: The research infrastructure is being planned and constructed; its operations are being implemented. The research infrastructure is not, however, providing services at full capacity. The infrastructure has a clear plan on how to proceed to the next stage.
• Operation and/or termination: The research infrastructure is operational, and its services are available based on principles that are openly accessible. At the operation stage, the research infrastructure may also plan and prepare new services to update its operations. At the termination stage, the research infrastructure’s operations are winding down. The research infrastructure has an exit plan and a plan for the long-term storage of the data and material produced with it.

See the terms and definitions related to research infrastructures (e.g. research infrastructure, national research infrastructure, international research infrastructure membership, research organisation and project).

Characteristics of national research infrastructure

Scientific significance

The research infrastructure must promote high-quality science and identify and support the development of areas critical to the competitiveness of science.

Services and users

Research infrastructure services and technological solutions are user-driven, dynamic and accessible. Research infrastructures actively attract and train new talent.

Ownership, organisational structure, and competence and know-how

The ownership must be structured in a way that supports multi-channel and transparent funding and the development of the skills of research infrastructure staff, including career paths. Staff must have up-to-date expertise and the ability to support the versatile use of the research infrastructure.

See also the FIRI Committee’s policy on the characteristics of administrative ownership (PDF, in Finnish).

Data management and production

Through responsible and secure data processing and management, research infrastructures contribute as major players to the large-scale production and use of new knowledge.

Responsible science

In its activities, the research infrastructure must take into account research ethics, equality and nondiscrimination, open science and sustainable development, including the green transition.

Impact and cooperation

The research infrastructure must have wide and versatile impact in the scientific community and in society at large Research infrastructures play an expert and visible role as facilitators of collaboration, platforms for innovation and drivers of RDI.

Budget and funding

Research infrastructures must have a long-term funding plan that is stable, transparent and supports the maintenance and development of services.

Risk management

The research infrastructure must have a risk management plan.

Characteristics of a lighthouse research infrastructure

Lighthouse infrastructures are at the forefront of the national infrastructure roadmap in all key infrastructure areas, such as service provision, impact, functionality and interoperability. Lighthouse infrastructures are already operational and included in the roadmap for 2021–2024.

Lighthouse research infrastructures are infrastructures that stand out from the other research infrastructures on the roadmap:

• They are at the forefront of providing services for scientific research, development and innovation.
• Their services do not overlap with other research infrastructures on the roadmap.
• They serve society and have a broad and demonstrable impact on different aspects of society.
• They have a high utilisation rate and are used not only by the scientific community but also by the private sector and/or society at large.
• They have a proven track record in international networks.
• They have professional staff and management.
• They have a stable and diversified financial base, which ensures long-term operation and development.
• They take account of the green transition and sustainable development in their activities.

The roadmap call has two stages. Applications with a rating of 5 and 6 in the first stage will go through to the next stage. Successful applicants will be invited to submit an application for funding for a research infrastructure development project.

In both stages, the applicant is a research organisation. The research organisation selects the person who will be responsible for submitting the application. We recommend that the research infrastructure’s director/national coordinator is person responsible for the application.

The person shall be responsible for the application in its entirety. The application is filled in and submitted in the Research Council of Finland’s online services. Persons authorised by the responsible person, such as the deputy PI of the consortium, may also participate in drafting the application.

The authorisation is given on the tab ‘Authorisation’ in the online services. The duration of the authorisation may be determined case-by-case. However, the authorisation will expire with the call’s deadline. Responsible persons must not authorise themselves.

The commitment by the site of research is issued by the senior management of the research organisation. The commitment is issued in the online services after the call has closed. NB! Only the senior management (rectors, etc.) can issue the commitment of the site of research.

If the application includes cooperation with Russia or Belarus, you must take into account our policies on the matter.

We will not process an application if the responsible person has been found guilty of research misconduct in the three years preceding the year of the call.

Consortium applications

If the research infrastructure is hosted by more than one research organisation, the organisations may form a consortium. Read the consortium application guidelines. The consortium application is prepared by the consortium PI (the person responsible for the application), who should be the head of the research infrastructure/the national coordinator. All research organisations acting as consortium parties must demonstrate their commitment to the application in the Research Council of Finland’s online services. NB! Only the senior management (rectors, etc.) can issue the commitment of the site of research.

The director of the consortium (the person responsible for the application) must fill in the basic information of the consortium in the online services for the other parties. NB! The consortium parties will not be able to examine the entire consortium application without authorisation (described above). However, the application can be viewed in the online services by clicking on ‘Application in PDF format’.

This call is for applications to the national roadmap for research infrastructures and for funding for a research infrastructure development project. The call has two stages. Roadmap applications will be reviewed in the first stage, and the most successful ones (rating 5 or 6) will progress to the second stage.

The second stage is for submission of an application for funding for a research infrastructure development project.

In the second stage, the Research Council of Finland is preparing to fund the development projects of the research infrastructures selected for the roadmap with an estimated total of 120 million euros between 2025 and 2029. The funding to be distributed through this call depends on the Finnish Parliament’s decision to allocate the necessary funds to the Research Council.

The overall funding period is 1 January 2025–31 December 2029. For technical reasons, the funding is split into two separate, fixed-term funding decisions. The first funding decision is for 1 January 2025–31 December 2027, and the second is for 1 January 2027–31 December 2029. Funding recipients will be asked to submit an interim report between the first and second funding decisions, in June 2026.

All research infrastructures selected to the roadmap will be granted funding.

The recommended minimum amount for the Research Council of Finland’s contribution to an individual application is 200,000 euros. The recommended minimum amount for the Research Council’s contribution to a consortium subproject is 100,000 euros and 600,000 euros for the whole consortium.

FIRI funding is intended to cover the investment costs of the research infrastructure, such as construction or major upgrading of equipment and systems, the development of data management and the establishment and development of services and skills.

The acquisitions must be incorporated into an existing or upcoming national or international research infrastructure that is open to use by the scientific community. Wherever possible, so-called innovative procurement can be used.

The funding can also be used to establish cooperation with RDI actors.

The funding may also be granted to cover salary costs, if the tasks of the person to be hired are linked to the functions described above.

The funding is not intended for operating costs or permanent operating expenses.

The funding of the research infrastructure cannot rely too heavily on competitive funding granted by the Research Council of Finland. The research infrastructures to be funded must have a sound and sustainable funding base and a long-term funding plan.

If the research infrastructure has ongoing infrastructure funding granted by the Research Council, it may for justified reasons be awarded additional funding in the second stage. The need for the funding will be further justified in the second-stage application. The second-stage action plan must also describe the connection to previously granted funding. Discretionary government grants cannot, however, be awarded twice for the same purpose.

The funding is granted to a Finnish site of research (usually a university or research institute) through which the funding is paid.

There are currently no plans to launch a separate funding call for non-roadmap research infrastructures during the 2025–2028 roadmap period.

What is required from the site of research?

The costs associated with storing and sharing research data are regarded as overheads for the infrastructure project’s site of research, but they may also be legitimately accepted as costs to be covered with Research Council of Finland funding.

If the construction or significant upgrading of the research infrastructure and the formation of services are focused on the processing of large amounts of data, or if the processing of the project’s data requires exceptionally much work or time, the project may apply for funding for salary costs related to the data processing. In this case, a person whose working hours are spent on data management and processing may be hired to the project. However, the funding is not intended for operating costs or permanent operating expenses.

Any supplies, equipment and literature acquired with funding from the Research Council of Finland will remain in the ownership and possession of the site of research. The parties can agree in writing on other procedures in the case of research infrastructures. In multi-site joint projects, the parties must conclude a written agreement on the use, ownership and location of the research infrastructure, even for the time after the funding period. The agreement is kept as part of the procurement documents. The agreement need not be delivered to the Research Council.

How to submit and supplement the application

The first call stage closes on 15 May 2024 at 16.15 Finnish time. Applications with a rating of 5 and 6 in the first stage will go through to the next stage. Those selected to the second stage will be asked to apply for funding for a development project in the Research Council of Finland’s online services by 22 October 2024. The deadlines are non-negotiable and also apply to consortia. We will not consider (process) an application that has not been submitted by deadline.

The consortium PI can submit the application only after all subproject PIs have tagged their applications as complete.

Make sure to submit the application in good time before the deadline. The system will only accept applications that contain all obligatory information. The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the content of the application appendices is correct.

You can edit and supplement the application until the deadline. You can make changes to a submitted application (e.g. change appendices), but you must make them before the deadline.  If you notice that your application lacks important information after the deadline, immediately get in touch with us via our helpdesk, so that the application can be reopened for supplementation. We will consider the supplemented information if it is possible in view of the review and decision-making process.

We may ask you to supplement the application. The request for supplementation will be sent to you by email. If you do not supplement the application by the given deadline, or if the application is substantially incomplete even after a request for supplementary information, we may decide to dismiss it (i.e. it will not be processed). You must make sure that your contact details (email address) are up to date.

How the application becomes pending

According to section 17 of the Finnish Administrative Procedure Act and section 8 of the Act on Electronic Services and Communication in the Public Sector, the sender is responsible for the application arriving by the set deadline. An application becomes pending when the online application and the obligatory appendices have been submitted in the online services. The system will confirm a successful submission by sending an email to the address you have provided.

If you fail to submit a final report on a completed or ongoing project according to our guidelines, we may decide not to process your new application.

An application will not be processed if the applicant or the application does not meet the competence requirements or other key requirements, or if the application otherwise does not qualify for processing. A scientific council or another decision-making body may decide not to fund an application based on science policy objectives, or if it is apparent for some other reason that the applicant cannot receive funding with the submitted application. Read more about the circumstances that may cause us not to process or review an application.

Publicity and data protection

Except for the research plan, plan of intent, abstract and progress report, which are primarily confidential, the application and its appendices are public documents. For example, the CV is a public document and as such must not include any confidential information. This publicity is based on the Finnish Act on the Openness of Government Activities.

We are committed to following regulations on data protection. The applicant is responsible for the disclosure of the personal data contained in the application and, where appropriate, for requesting the consent of the parties concerned.

The GDPR-compliant privacy notice concerning the research funding process is available on our website under Data protection.

The application consists of forms completed in the online services and PDF appendices. As an applicant, you have the right to submit your application in Finnish or Swedish, but we ask that you to submit it in English to facilitate the international review.

Most of the links below take you to the A–Z index of application guidelines and our website.

The online application contains the following parts

Personal data

• Personal details of person responsible for the application (research infrastructure director)
• Degrees (most recent one first)
• Titles of docent and professorships

Organisation parties to the research infrastructure (parties)

• The consortium name and abbreviation consist of the name and abbreviation of the research infrastructure. It is exactly the same name as the one you select on the next tab ‘General information’.
• Name and abbreviation of consortium
• Details on each party (role, name of responsible person, email address, organisation and country)
• Read the guidelines for consortium applications.

General information

• Details on the site of research
• Commitment by site of research. Make sure you have a commitment from your site of research to supporting the project. NB! Only the senior management (rectors, etc.) can issue the commitment of the site of research. Read more: commitment by the site of research
• Details on the research infrastructure (select from list)
• Research fields (at least one, no more than five). See the research field classification.
• Keywords in English and Finnish/Swedish

Abstract

• Maximum length 2,500 characters including spaces
• Brief description of the overall research infrastructure and how it supports research, development and innovation activities

Public description of research infrastructure

• Maximum length 1,000 characters including spaces
• Reader-friendly and popular description of the research infrastructure in English and Finnish/Swedish
• Include the website of the research infrastructure.
• We use the public description to disseminate information on the research infrastructure. The description will also be stored at fi, a service that makes available information on scientific research conducted in Finland.
• Read the guidelines on the public project description.

Most relevant publications and other key outputs

• In total up to ten key publications produced with the research infrastructure and up to ten other key outputs, with justifications
• You can retrieve publication details from the VIRTA publication information service. Also see the How-to guides for the online services.
• There are separate fields for selected publications and other research outputs. If the desired output type is not listed, select ‘Other, what?’ and enter the name of the output.
• Details on publications may also be entered manually. Obligatory information: author(s), title, year of publication, name of series/journal, type of publication (the type will not show in the PDF version of the application).

Collaborators

• List the collaborators of the research infrastructure (name, organisation, country). Collaboration here refers to activities that go beyond the core infrastructure activities to promote and develop research infrastructure activities. A collaborator can be thought of as an extension of the research infrastructure activity. A collaborator is mainly an organisation or institute, not individual researchers.

Affiliations

• Part of a Finnish Centre of Excellence. Select from the options provided if the application is affiliated with an ongoing Centre of Excellence funded by the Research Council of Finland. Read more about Centres of Excellence.
• Part of the Finnish Flagship Programme. Select from the options provided if the application is affiliated with the Research Council of Finland’s Finnish Flagship Programme. Read more about the Finnish Flagship Programme.

Action plan in research infrastructure’s roadmap application

• The maximum length of the action plan is 20 pages.
• In order to streamline the review, the action plan and the review form have the same structure. That is why it is important that the action plan follows the guidelines and structure provided. Be as concise as you can. See the guidelines on the structure of the action plan. Write the action plan on our template and append it as a PDF appendix on the dedicated tab in the online services.

Appendices

Appendices must be PDF files.

Obligatory appendices:

• Data management policy for research infrastructure. Write the policy by using the DMPTuuli tool or following the Research Council of Finland’s guidelines.
• Long-term funding plan for research infrastructure. The information will be used to assess the sustainability of the infrastructure’s funding base and the commitment of the organisation(s). The national research infrastructures to be funded must have a sound and sustainable funding base and a long-term funding plan. The funding of the research infrastructure cannot rely too heavily on competitive funding granted by the Research Council of Finland.
  • Use the table as a template and complete the data for all organisations for the years 2022–2030. The structure is provided in the template (4 pages + 1 page per partner organisation).
  • Describe the research infrastructure’s funding in the years 2022–2030.
  • Fill in the information to the nearest 1,000 euros.
  • In addition to the table, briefly explain the expenditure and income of the research infrastructure.
  • For each row in the table, briefly explain the principles used to produce the figures in the table.
  • Also include a brief explanation of the monitoring of expenditure and revenue and a risk assessment of the long-term budget plan.

Submit application

• You can submit the application when you have filled in or attached all the necessary information.
• A red warning triangle on the tab tells you that some information is missing. NB! The consortium PI’s application will not show a red warning triangle if consortium parties have not tagged their applications as complete. The PI can submit the consortium application only after all subprojects have tagged their applications as complete.
• You can supplement the application until the deadline. Resaving will replace the earlier version.
• If you want to supplement the application after the deadline, please get in touch with the contact persons listed in the call text.

Authorisation

• You can authorise another person to supplement or view your application.
• The person must have an account in our online services (SARA).
• Start by entering the person’s name in the field. Then select the correct person in the drop-down menu.
• You cannot authorise more than one person at a time to edit a field in your application, and you cannot edit that same field while the authorisation is active.
• Do not authorise yourself.
• See technical instructions on the authorisation process in the how-to guides for the online services.

Personal data

• Personal details of the person responsible for the application (the consortium PI)
• Degrees (most recent one first)
• Titles of docent and professorships

Consortium parties (if applicable)

• Name and abbreviation of consortium
• Details on each party (name, email address, organisation and country of the person responsible for the application)
• Read the guidelines for consortium applications
• In the second stage, the consortium cannot include host organisations other than those involved in the roadmap application (first stage).

General information

• Details on the site of research
• Details on the research infrastructure (select from list; these details must be exactly the same as in the first stage, to link this stage to the roadmap application)
• Research fields (at least one, no more than five). See the research field classification.
• Keywords in English and Finnish/Swedish

Abstract

• Maximum length 2,500 characters including spaces
• Brief description of the funding applied for and how it supports the overall functioning of the research infrastructure and the call’s objectives

Funding for the development project

• Only organisations applying for funding fill in the cost estimate. Other actors involved in the consortium as parties and not applying for funding do not fill in the cost estimate, but still indicate the site of research in the application under ‘General information’ > ‘Details on the site of research’.
• Briefly describe and justify the infrastructure development or investment for which you are seeking funding.
• The project’s funding follows the full cost model. The Research Council of Finland’s funding contribution comes to no more than 70%.
• Before you can fill in the cost estimate, you must first select the site of research on the tab ‘General information’.
• The site of research maintains the following percentages: effective working hours, indirect employee costs, overheads percentage and VAT.
• Enter the funding period. The funding period starts on 1 January 2025 at the earliest and ends on 31 December 2029 at the latest.
• Enter salaries and other costs.
• Enter other funding sources and their funding contributions. You must immediately notify us if you receive funding from other sources for the same purpose after you have submitted your application to us.
• Describe and justify the purpose for which you are applying for funding. The cost estimate must be realistic.
• Consult the administration at your site of research when filling in budget details. Read more about the funding in the call text under ‘Funding to be applied for and funding period’.
• Commitment by site of research. Make sure you have a commitment from your site of research to supporting the project. NB! Only the senior management (rectors, etc.) can issue the commitment of the site of research. Read more on the commitment by the site of research.

Research ethics

• Found guilty of research misconduct (yes/no). We will not process a funding application if the person responsible for the application (the consortium PI) or a consortium party has been found guilty of research misconduct in the three years preceding the year of the call.
• Guilty of illegal employment within the meaning referred to in section 7(2) of the Act on Discretionary Government Transfers (yes/no)
• See the ethical guidelines.

Action plan in research infrastructure’s funding application

• The maximum length of the action plan is three pages.
• Be as concise as you can. See the guidelines on the structure of the action plan. Submit the plan as a PDF appendix on a separate tab in the online services.

Appendices

Appendices must be PDF files.

Case-specific appendices:

• Progress report: Applicant organisations with ongoing FIRI funding for the research infrastructure in question must submit an account of the progress of the ongoing project. This is done in the form of a progress report appended to the application. See the guidelines on the progress report.

Submit application

• You can submit the application when you have filled in or attached all the necessary information.
• A red warning triangle on the tab tells you that some information is missing. NB! The consortium PI’s application will not show a red warning triangle if consortium parties have not tagged their applications as complete. The PI can submit the consortium application only after all subprojects have tagged their applications as complete.
• You can supplement the application until the deadline. Resaving will replace the earlier version.
• If you want to supplement the application after the deadline, please get in touch with the contact persons listed in the call text.

Authorisation

• You can authorise another person to supplement or view your application.
• The person must have an account in our online services (SARA).
• Start by entering the person’s name in the field. Then select the correct person in the drop-down menu.
• You cannot authorise more than one person at a time to edit a field in your application, and you cannot edit that same field while the authorisation is active.
• Do not authorise yourself.
• See technical instructions on the authorisation process in the how-to guides for the online services.

First stage: roadmap application

The roadmap applications will be reviewed by international experts. Not only are they highly respected in their own disciplines, but they also have a broader understanding of major national and international research infrastructures. They will review the roadmap applications in a single panel in September 2024. Applications will be reviewed for scientific significance, versatile impact and operational maturity. Applications with a rating of 5 and 6 will go through to the second stage.

In addition to the international review, the scientific councils of the Research Council of Finland will be asked to provide input on the national need for the research infrastructure, the user base, and possible overlaps.

A working committee, composed of members of the FIRI Committee, may invite representatives of the lighthouse candidates (the head of the research infrastructure and representatives of the host organisation(s)) for an interview in autumn 2024.

Second stage: application for funding for research infrastructure development project

The funding applications by the infrastructures invited from the first stage of the roadmap call will be examined by a working committee. The FIRI Committee will decide which infrastructures will be selected for the roadmap; it will also decide their funding.

Review criteria

Roadmap application (first stage)

In the first stage, international experts will review the scientific significance, the versatile impact and the operational maturity of the research infrastructure and the delivery of services, including the green transition and digitalisation. The review panel will give an overall rating (1–6) to the whole application. The plan for the research infrastructure development project will be assessed as part of the roadmap application.

See the characteristics of national research infrastructures (see above).

The review also takes into account any affiliations with research infrastructures included in the ESFRI Strategy Report on Research Infrastructures 2021.

Read the review questions that will be used in the review: review form, review guidelines and review principles (PDF). The review guidelines and forms are only available in English.

Applications that review rating 5 or 6 will progress to the second stage to submit a funding application for a research infrastructure development project.

Application for funding in connection with roadmap application (second stage)

The funding application for a development project must be well-founded, contribute to the strategy of the research infrastructure and develop its operations and services.

Applicants will receive a written panel review report on their first-stage application before the second stage.

The FIRI Committee’s working committee will check the feasibility of the second-stage applications.

In late 2024 and early 2025, the FIRI Committee will decide which infrastructures will be selected for the roadmap; it will also decide their funding and which infrastructures will receive lighthouse status. All research infrastructures selected to the roadmap will be granted funding.

The roadmap and subsequent funding decisions of the FIRI Committee are primarily based on:

• expert review reports and the information provided in the application
• opinions of the Research Council of Finland’s scientific councils.

In addition to the above, the FIRI Committee will, at its discretion, take into account the objectives of the long-term plan for research infrastructures for national and international research infrastructure activities and their overall development.

The FIRI Committee will make decisions on the selected lighthouse infrastructures based on a possible interview and the characteristics set for lighthouses. Lighthouse status is not applied for separately.

Additionally, the decisions will be prepared considering the Research Council of Finland’s criteria for research funding decisions and other guiding policies. Read about how funding decisions are made.

You will receive an email notification after the funding decision has been made. A positive funding decision is also an indication that the infrastructure has been selected to the roadmap. After receiving the email, you can log in to the online services with your user ID to view the decision and its justifications. There you can also read the review report(s) on your application.

How to receive the funding

A positive funding decision is accompanied by the funding terms and conditions. Make sure to check the decision and accept the funding and its terms in the online services without delay. This must be done within eight weeks of the decision date, unless otherwise stated in the special conditions of the decision notice.

If necessary, update the popular project description before you accept the funding. If a project is granted funding, we will publish a description of the project on our website. It is important that the public description is written for a general audience. Make changes to the annual instalments, if necessary (see the instructions in the funding terms and conditions).

Once you have accepted the funding, the system will send a notification to the commitment issuer at the site of research. That person must also accept the granted funding. See the how-to guide: Decision notification, review reports and accepting funding.

• Contact us primarily via firi@aka.fi
• Get in touch via our helpdesk (Division of Information Management) if you encounter technical issues in the online services.
• Our telephone number (switchboard) is +358 295 335 000.
• Merja Särkioja, Senior Science Adviser
• Marjut Kaukolehto, Science Arviser
• FIRI 2024 Roadmap Call Info recording and slides
• FIRI 2024: Questions and answers