4th ESFRI Stakeholder Forum Meetup Brings Europe’s Research Infrastructure Community to Cork

Strategic Consolidation of the European Research Infrastructure Landscape

The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), in cooperation with the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, will convene the 4th ESFRI Stakeholder Forum Meetup on 22 September 2026 at the National Maritime College of Ireland in Cork, ahead of the 97th ESFRI Forum Meeting. The event will bring together representatives of  Research Infrastructures, ESFRI delegates, European institutions, policymakers, research and technology organisations, Technology Infrastructures, e-Infrastructures, industry partners and the wider research and innovation community.

Held under the theme “Strategic Consolidation of the European Research Infrastructure Landscape,” the Meetup will provide a platform for dialogue on strengthening coordination, resilience and strategic alignment across the European research infrastructure landscape. The discussions will contribute to the implementation of the ERA Policy Agenda 2025–2027 and inform the preparation of the ESFRI Roadmap 2026 and the ESFRI Strategy Report.

The event will explore how greater coordination and reduced fragmentation can support a more coherent and resilient infrastructure landscape, with particular attention to integrated user access, the Research and Technology Infrastructure continuum, research data sovereignty and trusted international collaboration.

The Meetup is organised in cooperation with the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing research and innovation cooperation across Europe. The event will be opened by José Luis Martínez Peña, Chair of ESFRI, and Colm O'Riordain, Head of Department and INSPIRE Secretary General, and will feature a policy update from the European Commission delivered by Michael Arentoft, Head of Unit, Open Science and Research Infrastructures, DG Research & Innovation.

Building on the outcomes of the previous ESFRI Stakeholder Forum Meetups, which explored sustainability, funding approaches, industry engagement and synergies between research and technology infrastructures, the 2026 edition moves the discussion from sustainability towards strategic consolidation of the European research infrastructure ecosystem.

Two Strategic Themes for Europe’s Research Infrastructure Future

The programme will be structured around two thematic sessions designed to gather insights from stakeholders across the research and innovation ecosystem. Each session will combine keynote presentations, expert discussions and interactive exchanges aimed at identifying practical approaches to strengthening Europe’s research infrastructure landscape.  

Access Across the Research Infrastructure Landscape

The first session will explore how integrated user access programmes can contribute to a more coherent and user-oriented research infrastructure landscape. Discussions will focus on reducing fragmentation, creating clearer access pathways for users, strengthening engagement with industry and innovative companies, and reinforcing the continuum between Research Infrastructures and Technology Infrastructures.

The session will open with a keynote address by Annika Thies, Head of EU Project Office at DESY, followed by a high-level panel discussion involving leading representatives from research infrastructures, funding organisations and international partners.

Databases at Risk and Research Data Sovereignty

The second session will address the growing importance of safeguarding critical research databases and strengthening Europe’s capacity for secure and resilient research data stewardship. Discussions will examine research data sovereignty, strategic dependencies, federated approaches to data management and the role of trusted international collaboration in maintaining vital scientific resources.

The session will begin with a keynote presentation by Shelley Stall, Vice President for Open Science Leadership at the American Geophysical Union, and will include discussions on One Health, Climate, and Social Sciences and Humanities, providing disciplinary perspectives on the opportunities and challenges associated with protecting critical research data assets.

Through dialogue among policymakers, infrastructure leaders, researchers, industry representatives and other stakeholders, the 4th ESFRI Stakeholder Forum Meetup will generate insights to support a more coordinated, resilient and strategically positioned European research infrastructure ecosystem. The outcomes of the event will help inform ESFRI’s future strategic work and contribute to broader discussions on the development of Europe’s research and technology infrastructure landscape.

Learn more about the ESFRI Stakeholder Forum and its role in strengthening dialogue across Europe’s research infrastructure community. 

Explore the ESFRI Stakeholder Forum