The International Conference on Research Infrastructures (ICRI), organised by the European Commission and the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union, was held between 19-21 October 2022. The Conference, hosted in Brno, highlighted how research infrastructures and their innovation can respond to contemporary challenges of climate, energy, infectious diseases and equal global access to infrastructures. As the topics were of international concern, participants and speakers were present from across the globe.
On the last day of the conference, the Czech Presidency released a Declaration on fostering a Global Ecosystem of Research Infrastructures (RIs). The document provides an in-depth outlook on general policy perspectives on RIs and serves as a call for action to support RIs by prioritising them during policymaking in a wide range of related areas, consider them as strategic investments and thus ensure a robust and stable framework for them that includes funding and networking opportunities, amongst other calls.
The Member States of the EU as well as the European Commission expressed support for the call, which they intend to support using their own processes. In addition, the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures, also present at ICRI, pledged to assist in underpinning the development of a global research infrastructure ecosystem.