Pilot project - Establishing a national ecosystem for utilising Big Science facilities

Purpose and goal:

The overall aim and objective of the SPIRIT pilot project has been to develop a proposal for a neutral and inclusive arena that can make available and promote the use of the facilities MAX IV and ESS nationally and internationally to be organized and coordinated across seven nodes. The work has resulted in the SPIRIT Fas I proposal, which further develops the necessary structures, functions and working methods to create the conditions for a broader and more long-term investment from 2025 onwards.

Expected results and effects:

The pilot project has developed a proposal for a collaboration model that responds to many of the needs and conditions that emerged in both the dialogues Vinnova had in 2021 and the dialogues that took place during the implementation of the pilot project. The formed SPIRIT consortium has jointly developed a plan for a build-up phase of the national organization ant its development during SPIRIT Fas I.

Approach and implementation:

The assignment was carried out under the guidance of URFI - Universitetens Referensgrupp för Forskningsinfrastruktur- of which seven universities formed a steering group for SPIRIT: LU (project coordinator), LiU, LTU, Chalmers, SU, UU, UmU, MAX IV and ESS.

The work was carried out by representatives from the seven universities, MAX IV and ESS and was led by a project leader from ESS until 30.06.2023 and a project leader from MAX IV until 30.11.2023.

The working group was responsible for including all relevant actors in their ecosystems, other universities, industries and institutes.