Research Infrastructures (RI) are standing pillars for excellence in science and a vital element for the realization of the European Union as a knowledge-based society. Together with Core Facilities (CF)- existing in many universities, academic research centres and national nodes of distributed RI- RI are also major actors in the implementation of the EU Open Science and Open Innovation strategy and a major factor for its success. As RI and CF increase in importance, questions about how to organize, maintain, manage and finance them have become a major topic for funding and research organisations. This proposal brings together, for the first time, RI, CF and European universities, in a new innovative concept to transform the access and empowerment of human resources for national and international scientific facilities in Europe. The overarching goal of RItrainPlus is to design and deliver a training programme to fulfill the competency requirements for the current and future managers of European RI and CF. RItrain Plus will: i) drive excellence, operational improvements and long-term sustainability of European RI and CF by developing: formal learning activities: executive post-graduate courses; learning on the job: staff exchange, with a short-term mobility programme at different RI/CF locations; peer learning: a Community of Practice, within all RI and CF, able to promote existing excellence and experience, and share knowledge; ii) create a foundation for the long-term provision of highly qualified personnel for managing RI and CF by developing Learning Activities embedded in existing university programs and a certifiable European Longitudinal Learning Track; iii) establish a permanent and self-sustainable European School for Management of Research Infrastructures. In the four-year project all the required steps will be performed, with extended involvement of ERICs, EIROforum members, national agencies, and other relevant stakeholders in the design process.

The European RI landscape is diverse (RI operators, managers, users (researchers, industry) decision makers, funders). Past efforts were directed towards gaining insight into available RIs, national RI road mapping practices, and planning of pan-European RIs. A catalogue of services for e-infrastructures is currently under development. A recent report by OECD Global Science Forum highlights that ”open digital platforms…can have substantial value for a wide range of stakeholders”. Responding to the needs of users of physical RIs, CatRIS will make available information about RI services offered in Europe. Such information will improve visibility of services, foster European and international collaborations, and enhance RI accessibility, usage, and impact. Currently, RIs provide information about their services mostly in free formats through websites with varying completeness and details. Existing initiatives will be analysed to identify best practices and to propose a service catalogue structure to respond to users’ needs. A prerequisite for the success of CatRIS is its integration in the European RI landscape and its different systems. Avoiding duplication of efforts and fostering interoperability is also essential. Although challenging, an interoperable system is the only sustainable approach that can be envisaged to keep information alive. In particular, CatRIS will follow closely the development of the EOSC to become an integrated part of it as an indispensable tool connecting RI users and managers. The active engagement of the whole RI community is critical and, being at the centre of the project, will provide specifications and drive for the development. Through the use of a rating system and feedback loops on its contents, CatRIS can also serve as a bottom-up tool to facilitate the identification of potential gaps of European RI services. CatRIS will thus operate as an open “network of networks” branching out to RI communities across borders and beyond.