LITHUANIAN ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES 2015
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LITHUANIAN
ROADMAP FOR
RESEARCH
INFRASTRUCTURES 2015
ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES OF LITHUANIA
Dear readers,
CONTENTS
DEFINITION, PURPOSE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES 4 Research infrastructures (RI) play an increasingly The second national Roadmap was necessary in
DEVELOPMENT OF EUROPEAN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES. ESFRI AND ERIC 6 important role in the modern science world. What is order to assess the progress of the national research
this new player of the academic field that has emerged infrastructures, and identify new infrastructures
LITHUANIAN RI POLICY AND THE NATIONAL ROADMAP 10
next to researcher groups, laboratories, institutes capable of representing the Lithuanian academic
and universities? Essentially, research infrastructures community. The Commission on Research
SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES are broad academic networks integrating research Infrastructures set up by the Research Council
E-lingua (CLARIN-LT) – Electronic Resources of the Lithuanian Language 16 resources on a more extensive scale than conventional of Lithuania applied to the already operating
ESS LT – European Social Survey 18 ones. Such networks emerge for at least two reasons: infrastructures with a request to update the
modern research is becoming increasingly costly, information on their activity, and to the entire
LiDA – Lithuanian Data Archive for Humanities and Social Sciences 20
hence RIs are a method to accumulate resources and research community of Lithuania with a proposal to
HUMRE – Research Infrastructure for Human Well-Being and Development 22
enhance the competitive potential; furthermore, RIs identify new RIs.
PITI Aruodai – Heritage and History Research Infrastructure Aruodai 24 build the preconditions for international cooperation
The Roadmap was updated following an analysis and
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES or science internationalisation. European Research
assessment of the proposals submitted by research
AEROINFRA – National Aerobiological Research Infrastructure 28 Infrastructure Consortia that accumulate the growing
and study institutions and a consideration on whether
academic capital are rapidly growing in number in
MEDWAN – Biomedicine Data Warehousing, Standardization and Analysis Research Infrastructure 30 the RI is significant at national level and able to provide
Europe.
REIA – Research Infrastructure of Experimental Animals 32 resources for high-level research and has a potential
For Lithuanian researchers, an important task is to to integrate into international consortia. Furthermore,
CossyBio – Centre for Computational, Structural and Systems Biology 34
integrate into such academic consortia, or otherwise for the purpose of assessment, account was taken of
INECOM – Infrastructure for Ecological Metabolomics 36
face a risk of remaining in the periphery of the whether the RIs could ensure open access, employ
Consortium Biobank-LT – National Networks of Biobanks 38 academic field. researchers and specialists of highest qualifications
NATURAL AND TECHNICAL SCIENCES
The first Lithuanian Roadmap for Research who have experience in working with resources of
INOCHEMAS – Centre of Innovative Chemistry 42 Infrastructures was published in 2011. Issued as a infrastructures and able to ensure efficient utilisation
result of several years of work, the Roadmap adapted of RIs for the needs of not only the institution, but
LitGrid-HPC – Lithuanian Grid Infrastructure for High-Performance Computing 44
the European and global RI criteria for the Lithuanian also for those of the wider academic community.
Mechatronika – Research Infrastructure of Mechatronics 46
academic field, and identified the first academic There is no doubt that in several years from now the
MNAAPC – Micro-, Nanotechnology and Analysis Open Access Centre 48
networks operating sufficient resources to place third Roadmap will appear compiled in response to
MAO – Molėtai Astronomical Observatory 50
the networks in a position equal to international the new configurations in the academic field, while
Laser RI – High-Intensity and Broad Spectral Range Ultrashort Pulse Laser Research infrastructures, and opened new opportunities for the present Roadmap will remain part of the history.
Infrastructure of National and International Access 52
integration with international RIs. Thus, our Roadmaps perform a double role: they form
PTC – Centre of Semiconductor Technologies 54
Lithuanian researchers took advantage of this new academic identities and record the essential
SPECTROVERSUM – Centre of Spectroscopic Characterization of Materials and Electronic /
opportunity with success: on 22 November 2013, the stages in the history of Lithuanian science.
Molecular Processes 56
58 organisers of the European Social Survey became
AChePha– Centre for Applied Chemistry and Biopharmaceutical Research
part of the RI Consortium of the European Social
ULTRATEST – Ultrasonic non-destructive testing, measurement and diagnostics centre 60
Survey; on 28 October 2014, the researchers of the
AGRICULTURE SCIENCES national official language brought together to a
AGBC – Centre for Plant Genetics and Biotechnologies 64 national consortium by researchers of the Vytautas
Magnus University were admitted as members to
66
the European Common Language Resources and Chairman of the Research Council of Lithuania
ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE ROADMAP
Technology Infrastructure. Dainius H. Pauža
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ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES OF LITHUANIA
DEFINITION, PURPOSE AND SIGNIFICANCE
OF RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES
In the modern world, scientific knowledge is centres, laboratories, etc. However, not infrequently, archive. The purpose of all RIs is to provide research employing modern information technologies.
perceived as an important factor of global and such a system is fragmented and isolated, and services under pre-agreed terms; furthermore, they Such infrastructures most often are virtual and
local economic, as well as social and political economically inefficient duplication of functions, are open for researchers from other institutions or comprise digital libraries, data repositories,
development. Quality research is the basis for impeding the cooperation of researchers and new institutional partners. Therefore, RIs should be search engines, etc. accessible via computer
understanding the place of the man in the world institutions both among themselves as well as with perceived not only as a means for the redeployment networks from the workplace of each researcher.
and his relation with the environment, the matter industry and business entities. Strategic planning of material and intellectual resources available for
In terms of research topics covered, RIs may be
of the universe and the origin of life, as well of the and management of a broadly defined research research institutions, but also as a new tool for
specialised and relate to research in a single or
progress of society. Scientific knowledge is also a infrastructure oriented towards the creation of a mainstreaming such resources and making them
several related areas (astronomical observatories,
prerequisite for technical and medical innovations coherent national or European-level research area operational.
nature studies stations, etc.), and interdisciplinary
relevant for each society. Science is becoming a require distinguishing integrated or interrelated
In terms of their form, research infrastructures whose resources are made available to
public good of international significance and one competence platforms for knowledge means
may be single-sited (centralised), distributed researchers of multiple fields, or even those from
of the invaluable sources of innovations, economic or data, or their use, which could facilitate the
(network), or virtual (digital). The concept of an different areas (libraries, museums, information
well-being and social progress. In its turn that actualisation of and give meaning to the existing
RI is most clearly defined and best established and communication infrastructures, etc.). Legally
creates a need to search for new research practice relations among research institutions by integrating
in physical and technology sciences. Due to the a research infrastructure may be managed by a
administration models employing which would their resources and avoiding radical institutional
specific research needs in these research areas, single institution, or by a consortium of several
facilitate the most efficient utilisation of material reforms. Such infrastructures are created on
the research community tends to use research institutions.
resources and the intellectual potential. the basis of traditional research institutions
centres that have and can provide expensive
as national or international level networks of The creation, upgrading and maintenance of
No modern innovative or top-quality research is and sophisticated physical instruments such as
research institutions or related facilities, with a efficiently operating research infrastructures
possible without creating favourable conditions, telescopes, particle accelerators, special purpose
view to contributing to, rather than replacing the are a prerequisite for the future science of any
i.e. a creative intellectual environment, freely laboratories, etc. The RI concept is also used in
existing research framework. In this specific sense, state. However, the successful implementation
accessible research equipment and a suitable environmental and biomedical sciences, though
a research infrastructure (hereinafter – RI) is a of the objective requires not only constructive
methodological base. To ensure the appropriate in those areas infrastructures have a higher
physically or virtually existing platform, having its ideas, but also substantial investment that
concentration and efficiency of research resources, degree of diversity and complexity. Those areas
own name and defined management principles should be supported by well-thought decisions
significant attention is devoted to the management of science are characterised more by distributed
and providing access for the research community of the scientific and political community. In order
of the research system and the development of its (network) infrastructures, in particular coordinated
to facilities, data and competences required for to ensure that public funds are used in a most
infrastructure. environmental research stations, biobanks, tissue
conducting top level research. efficient manner and taking into consideration the
banks, bioinformatics repositories and processing
In general terms the research infrastructure is vital needs of the public and the actual capacities
It is common to define an RI is defined as an entirety centres. A relatively new phenomenon is research
understood as an entirety of interrelated structural of the scientific community, nearly all European
of measures, resources and related services that infrastructures in humanities and social sciences
elements enabling conducting and maintaining states, including Lithuania, draw up National
the research community uses when conducting requiring less experimental equipment, where
research. In that sense, this may refer to the entire Roadmaps for research infrastructures specifying
research: it comprises scientific equipment, the decisive role is played by information. The
research infrastructure of a specific state or region, the most important needs of the research
research material, knowledge sources, information most important requirement for researchers
or a certain research area or field. A research infrastructure and highlighting the strategic
and communication technologies-based infra in humanities and social sciences is a safe and
infrastructure normally consists of material and development priorities of national initiatives.
structures, as well as means vitally important for convenient storage, accumulation and processing
intellectual research resources concentrated
acquiring scientific competence. However, an RI is of the maximum amount and diversity of data
at conventional and well-recognised research
much more than mere research equipment or a data and sources, therefore the RIs are developed
institutions, universities, institutes, research
4 5
ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES OF LITHUANIA
DEVELOPMENT OF EUROPEAN
RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES. THE ESFRI ROADMAP OF INTERNATIONAL RIs1
ESFRI AND ERIC
Top-level RIs is one of the key conditions for in the European Union (EU) and globally. The
SOCIAL SCIENCES BIOMEDICAL ENVIRONMENT ENERGY MATERIALS PHYSICAL AND E-
competitiveness of science. Developing and emergence of ESFRI was caused by objective
AND SCIENCES SCIENCES AND ANALYSIS TECHNOLOGY INFRA-
maintaining such RIs, however, require substantial reasons: the costs of implementing, upgrading and HUMANITIES CENTRES SCIENCES STRUCTURES
investment. Small countries cannot allocate their functioning of research facilities are so high that
limited resources to a single or several branches they can be reasonably managed only by means of
of research. The highly competitive environment transnational cooperation. CESSDA* AnaEE ERINHA ACTRIS EURO- ECCSEL ESRF CTA FAIR PRACE*
requires creating a critical mass of researchers ARGO UPGRADES
The year 2006 saw the publication of the first ERIC
capable of achieving a breakthrough in a specific
ESFRI Roadmap – a European RI development
area of science and ensuring the efficient CLARIN ERIC* BBMRI ERIC* EU-OPEN- DANUBIUS- IAGOS EU-SOLARIS European E-ELT KM3NeT
plan identifying long term strategic directions with
dissemination of knowledge among researcher SCREEN RI Spallation
a view to coordinating the measures developed at
groups. Therefore in the course of the past decades Source ERIC
the European level and the efforts of national states.
the European states, in response to the rapidly
The first version of the ESFRI Roadmap defined DARIAH ERIC* EATRIS ERIC* Euro Bio EISCAT_3D ICOS ERIC JHR European XFEL ELI* SKA
growing demand for research resources and the
35 international RIs of European significance, Imaging
prevailing global trends, directed their attention
comprising all areas of science. The updated
towards the development of international RIs.
ESFRI Roadmap of 2008 included 44 RI projects.
An essential impetus in this area is associated with The third version of the ESFRI Roadmap was ESS ERIC* ECRIN ERIC INFRA- EPOS LifeWatch MYRRHA HL-LHC EMFL SPIRAL2
FRONTIER*
the Strasbourg Conference of 2000, at which the published at the end of 2010; and presented 48 RI
scientific community together with the European projects responding to the needs of the European
Commission (EC) emphasised that research scientific community. The implementation of the SHARE ERIC* ELIXIR* INSTRUCT* EMSO SIOS Windscanner ILL 20/20 EST
infrastructures were one of the key elements of projects would require about EUR 20 billion, and
the commonly built European Research Area. their annual operating costs would account for
The conference concluded that the development about 10 % of the initial investment. The year 2014 E-RIHS EMPHASIS ISBE
of the RIs must be pursued on the national and marked the beginning of the updating of the ESFRI
international level by integrating and coordinating Roadmap, the term for the submission of new MMRI
the ideas of the scientific community with the project proposals was until end of March 2015, and
actions of the institutional stakeholders involved in a new version of the ESFRI Roadmap is expected
political and financial decision-making. to come out in 2016.
Regular – RI under preparation
The implementation of the ideas put forward at Bold – operating RI
the Strasbourg conference led to the creation
Grey – distributed (network) RI
in 2002 of the European Strategy Forum for
Blue – single-sited (centralised) RI
Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), with a mandate
to draw up a coherent strategy for the European * – RIs in which Lithuanian RIs participate, or cooperate with
RI policy, develop a common strategic approach,
coordinate the interests of the parties and
promote multilateral initiatives resulting in a better
use and development of research infrastructures 1
http://www.esfri.eu/esfri_roadmap2016/roadmap-2016.php (updated regularly)
6 7
ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES OF LITHUANIA
RIS REGISTERED WITH THE ERIC2 AND THE ERIC LEVEL RIS INCLUDED IN
THE ESFRI ROADMAP (DATA OF 2015)
Although according to the EU legislation the the implementation of the projects foreseen
responsibility for the development of RIs lies in the ESFRI Roadmap. ERIC is a legal entity
with national supervisory authorities, the ESFRI recognised in all EU Member States, with flexible BBMRI-ERIC Biobanks and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure Consortium
Roadmap and the processes triggered by it internal infrastructure defined in the Statutes
demonstrate that in the future increasingly more of its members. ERIC members may include EU CERIC-ERIC Central European Research Infrastructure Consortium
common EU resources should be allocated for Member States, associated countries, and third
CESSDA Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives
developing, updating and maintaining European countries that are not associated countries,
RIs. Thus, the 7th Framework Programme as well as intergovernmental organisations. CLARIN-ERIC** Common Language Resources and Technology Infrastructure
implemented in 2007-2013 provided for about EUR However, in practice the states participating in the
1 billion for the development of RIs, and the Horizon ERIC consortium appoint research institutions to DARIAH ERIC European digital research infrastructure for the Arts and Humanities
2020 programme intends to allocate another EUR conduct the activities.
EATRIS-ERIC European Advanced Translational Research Infrastructure in Medicine European Research Infrastructure Consortium
2.5 billion for the ongoing and new RIs. A major
An important outcome of the ESFRI activities is
part of the funds will be used to integrate the RIs
an RI development process system encompassing
and ensure the open access. Significant financial ECCSEL European Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage Laboratory Infrastructure
all stages, from the birth of an idea to the
resources are assigned to fund the preparatory
implementation of the project. The system well
phase of the projects under the ESFRI Roadmap. ECRIN-ERIC European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network
facilitates coordinating the interests of different
However, the major part of the costs related to
States, organisations and research communities. EMSO European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and Water Column Observatory
the development, upgrading or operation of
Lithuania should also review its scientific interests
RIs is borne by the Member States. With a view ESS ERIC** European Social Survey
on a regular basis in order to decide on the ESFRI
to promoting investment in RIs, in 2007 the
RI projects worth for Lithuania to participate in
European Commission (EC) in cooperation with
as a member or a partner. The ESFRI process that European Spallation European Spallation Source
the European Investment Bank (EIB) proposed a Source ERIC
has defined clear landmarks for the development
new instrument – a Risk Sharing Financial Facility
of the European research capacities in the course EU-OPENSCREEN European Infrastructure of Open Screening Platforms for Chemical Biology
(RSFF), according to which the EIB grants loans
of the next 10 to 20 years has encouraged the
jointly funded by the EC to institutions creating RIs Euro-Argo ERIC Euro-Argo Research Infrastructure
governments of many countries to draw up
in EU Member States and associated states. Under
similar strategic documents or their national
the RSFF, loans for developing and upgrading
RI Roadmaps. The RI Roadmaps of European ICOS ERIC Integrated Carbon Observation System
infrastructures are provided under much more
States highlight the need to participate in the Joint Institute for Very Long Baseline Interferometry
favourable terms than regular commercial loans. JIV-ERIC
creation or use the European RI currently under
To create a favourable legal environment for development. The drawing up of the ESFRI „LifeWatch“ Science and Technology Infrastructure for Research on Biodiversity and Ecosystems
encouraging EU Member States not only to and the national Roadmaps essentially reflects
accelerate investment in RIs, but also to participate the important developments in the European SHARE-ERIC European Research Infrastructure Consortium for the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe
in their integration on the European scale, in 2009 Research Area as the joint and well-coordinated
SIOS Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observation System
the Council of the EU approved a regulation on participation of multiple states in the high-level RI
the European Research Infrastructure Consortium operations opens up new possibilities for Europe
(ERIC). The regulation promotes new initiatives on to compete in the global arena of innovations and
Blue – applicants to the ERIC
transnational cooperation to develop and upgrade high added value research.
Green – ERIC level RIs, managed by Norway and without a consortium status
RIs, and provides for conditions conducive to
** – Lithuania is a member
2
Source https://ec.europa.eu/research/infrastructures/index_en.cfm?pg=eric (updated regularly).
8 9
ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES OF LITHUANIA
Council of Lithuania set up a Commission for research supplemented with seven other RI projects selected
infrastructures of the Research Council of Lithuania.6 The from 26 project proposals received. When updating
Commission evaluates the plans on the membership in the Roadmap, the experts of the Council took into
LITHUANIAN RI POLICY European RI consortia drawn up by Lithuanian research consideration the links of all national infrastructures
institutions or their groups, having regard to the needs of with the priority directions of the smart specialisation of
AND THE NATIONAL ROADMAP the Lithuanian scientific community and the preparedness Lithuania. All the infrastructures included in the updated
of the drafters of the membership plans to participate in Roadmap implement one or several priorities of the
an international infrastructure. The Commission submits smart specialisation.
its conclusion to the Research Council of Lithuania which,
In 2007, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania research institutions and high technology entities inviting An inclusion of any RI project into the national
upon evaluating the conclusions of the Commission,
drew up a concept for the development of integrated them cooperate with the working group in identifying the Roadmap means recognition of its significance.
decides on whether to approve the plan and submit
research, education and business centres (valleys), and in most important national RI projects. The current Roadmap for research infrastructure
it, in connection with the conclusion, to the Ministry of
2008, the Government approved five valley development of Lithuanian introduces 22 initiatives of national
In 2010, the Ministry of Education and Science authorised Education and Science. The final decision concerning the
programmes. The consolidation of national-level significance. The development and maintenance of all
the Research Council of Lithuania to represent the Republic participation of Lithuanian institutions in international
institutions of related research areas through a merger of those infrastructures, including their integration into
of Lithuania in creating European research infrastructure research infrastructures is passed by the Government of
their dispersed resources is in most cases a progressive international networks or consortia, is a vital factor in
consortia according to the EU Council regulation.4 the Republic of Lithuania on a proposal of the Ministry of
step that not only boosts the efficiency in resource pursuit of a qualitative improvement of the conditions
Following the draft guidelines on the development of the Education and Science.
management, but also creates the preconditions for the and the environment of Lithuanian research that
country to participate in major European RI consortia. RI, in 2011 the Research Council of Lithuania drew up and The Lithuanian Roadmap for Research Infrastructures is represent the basis for the progress and breakthrough
For a small country like Lithuania, the participation in published the first Roadmap for research infrastructures a long-term planning instrument encompassing all areas of Lithuanian research. The presentation of a research
international RI projects is the only possibility to provide of Lithuania designed to identify the strategic directions of science, ranging from humanities and social sciences infrastructure in a national or international Roadmap
its researchers with access to facilities and methods of of the long-term development of the national RIs. The to physical and technology sciences. The Roadmap is a does not by itself ensure any funding required for its
cutting-edge world level research. However, it should Lithuanian Roadmap for research infrastructures presents strategic document based on the analysis of the Lithuanian development, updating or maintenance, as decisions
be noted that neither the development (2008), nor the Lithuanian RI projects that are prioritised in relation and the European research infrastructure system, taking regarding RI funding are taken separately. The public
the amendment (2014) of the valley programme took to Lithuania’s progress towards the membership of the into account the factual and potential links and synergies financial resources will be used efficiently only provided
due account of the European Roadmap for research European research infrastructures included in the ESFRI between national and international RIs, also duly taking the funding and investment for specific RIs are allocated
infrastructures drawn up by the ESFRI. Roadmap, as well as other international RIs. The Roadmap into account the priorities of the Lithuanian and European taking duly in account the Roadmap.
introduces 15 national infrastructure projects important research activities. The Roadmap is a dynamic document,
Having become a Member State of the EU, Lithuania Following the recommendations provided in the
for the national research and development, and specifies updated with regard to changes related to the need for
appointed its representatives to the ESFRI, and has been Roadmap 2011, and the synergies defined therein with
international infrastructures that Lithuania should seek to infrastructures and their development. According to the
since 2004 participating in the activities of the forum. the European infrastructures, in 2013 Lithuania became
join. The proposals for Lithuanian RI projects submitted established procedure, the Research Council of Lithuania
In April 2009, the Ministry of Education and Science set a member of the European Research Infrastructure
to the Research Council of Lithuania in order to be reviews and updates the Lithuanian Roadmap for research
up a working group consisting of Lithuanian and émigré Consortium ‘European Social Survey’ – ESS ERIC, and in
included in the Roadmap of 2011 were all considered at infrastructures no less frequently than once per five years. 7
researchers and innovative business representatives and 2014 – a member of the European Research infrastructure
the respective sub-groups of the Research Council of
tasked with drafting guidelines for the development of At the request of the Ministry of Education and Science, Consortium ‘Common Language Resources and
Lithuania (humanities and social sciences, biomedical,
the Lithuanian RIs. With a view to identifying the main in 2014 the Research Council of Lithuania updated the Technology infrastructure network – CLARIN ERIC.
physical and technology sciences); to obtain an objective
directions in the development of the national RIs for the Roadmap to include new infrastructure projects: the
and unbiased opinion a summary evaluation of the
coming 10 to 15 years, the working group suggested that Roadmap 2011 list consisting of 15 RI projects was in 2014
proposals was performed by foreign experts.
its members, in cooperation with the scientific community,
identify the most viable projects. Upon a decision of the In 2012, the Minister for Education and Science of the 3
Letter No. SR-40-338 of 10 August 2009 of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania.
Republic of Lithuania approved the Description of
4
Letter No. 43-01-R-3604 of 24 May 2010 of the Ministry of Education and Science ‘Regarding the participation in creation
working group, the right of submitting proposals and consortia of European research infrastructures‘.
a preliminary evaluation was assigned to theme sub- the procedure for the participation in international 5
Order No. V-1068 of 2 July 2012 of the Minister of Education and Science ‘Regarding the approval of the procedure for the
infrastructures.5 In the same year, the Research Council of participation in international research infrastructures‘.
groups that organised the promotion of project ideas and 6
Resolution No. VII-127 ‘Regarding the approval of the Description of the procedure for the initiation of the participation of
communication with the scientific community. To ensure Lithuania approved the Description of the procedure for Lithuanian institutions in international research infrastructures’, and Resolution No. VII-130 ‘Regarding the approval of the
greater publicity of the working group, the Ministry of the initiation of the participation of Lithuanian institutions commission of research infrastructures’ of 17 December 2012 of the Research Council of Lithuania.
7
Order No. V-1068 of 2 July 2012 of the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania ‘Regarding the approval
Education and Science3 applied to higher education and in international RIs, according to which the Research of the Description of the procedure for the participation in the international research infrastructures’.
10 11
ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES OF LITHUANIA
INFRASTRUCTURES INCLUDED IN
THE ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES OF LITHUANIA 2014
No. Acronym and name of the RI Institution acronym withRelation
the ESFRI
1. E-lingua (CLARIN-LT) – Electronic Resources of the Lithuanian Language VDU CLARIN ERIC
2. ESS LT – European Social Survey KTU ESS ERIC
3. LiDA – Lithuanian Data Archive for Humanities and Social Sciences KTU CESSDA ERIC
4. HUMRE* – Research Infrastructure for Human Well-Being and Development VU SHARE ERIC
5. PITI Aruodai – Heritage and History Research Infrastructure Aruodai VU DARIAH ERIC
6. AEROINFRA – Aerobiological Research Infrastructure ŠU COPAL (ex-EUFAR)
7. MEDWAN – Biomedicine Data Warehousing, Standardization and Analysis Research Infrastructure KTU EATRIS ERIC, BBMRI ERIC
8. REIA – Research Infrastructure of Experimental Animals LSMU VA, IMC INFRAFRONTIER
9. CossyBio – Centre for Computational, Structural and Systems Biology VU, LSMU VUOI ELIXIR, INSTRUCT
10. INECOM – Infrastructure for Ecological Metabolimics GTC, VU EMBRC
11. Consortium Biobank-LT – National Networks of Biobanks SMĮA BBMRI ERIC
12. INOCHEMAS* – Centre of Innovative Chemistry FTMC Neutron ESS
13. LitGrid-HPC – Lithuanian Grid Infrastructure for High-performance Computing VU PRACE ERIC, CERN
14. Mechatronika – Research Infrastructure of Mechatronics KTU
15. MNAAPC* – Micro-, Nanotechnology and Analysis Open Access Centre KTU
16. MAO – Molėtai Astronomical Observatory VU E-ELT
17. Laser RI – High-intensity and Broad Spectral Range Ultrashort Pulse Laser Research Infrastructure of National VU, FTMC ELI ERIC
and International Access
18. PTC – Centre of Semiconductor Technologies VU, FTMC
19. SPECTROVERSUM – Centre of Spectroscopic Characterization of Materials and Electronic/molecular Processes VU EUROFEL ERIC
20. AChePha* – Centre for Applied Chemistry and Biopharmaceutical Research (Cluster) KTU INSTRUCT ERIC
21. ULTRATEST – Ultrasonic Non-destructive Testing, Measurement and Diagnostics centre KTU
22. AGBC* – Centre for Plant Genetics and Biotechnologies LAMMC
* – included in the Lithuanian RI Roadmap in 2014
12 13
ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES OF LITHUANIA
RIs IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
Five RIs in social sciences and humanities were selected to be included in the present
Roadmap:
• E-lingua (CLARIN-LT) – Electronic Resources of the Lithuanian Language;
• ESS LT – European Social Survey;
• LiDA – Lithuanian Data Archive for Humanities and Social Sciences;
• HUMRE – Research Infrastructure for Human Well-Being and Development;
• PITI Aruodai – Heritage and History Research Infrastructure Aruodai.
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ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES OF LITHUANIA RIS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
This infrastructure of language resources research is in different languages (www.clarin.eu), therefore any
required for university studies, remote language teaching, higher education or research institution engaged in the
as well as for the creation of new technologies and the Lithuanian language or language technology studies and
dissemination of the Lithuanian language worldwide. The seeking the recognition of the studies at the European
„E-lingua“ (CLARIN-LT) E-lingua RI is important not only for science and studies, it is scale may become a user of the system. Institutions and
an instrument for transposing the Lithuanian language into their researchers can thus save funds as they do not have
Hosting institution: Vytautas Magnus University (VDU), K. Donelaičio g. 58, 4248 Kaunas
the cyber-space, thus adapting it for modern technologies to create or maintain an infrastructure, and can avail
Website: http://www.clarin-lt.lt and preserving it for the future generations. themselves of new upgraded conditions for research, while
researchers do not have to install all resources or tools on
their computers as they can access CLARIN services and
Participating institutions: THE NEED FOR AND ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES language resources directly in the information network.
- Computations Linguistics Centre of the Faculty THE PURPOSE OF THE RI The Centre for Computational Linguistics of the VDU CLARIN ERIC infrastructure integrates a wide range
of Humanities, and the Faculty of Informatics of provides the following open access services (http:// of language resources and technologies: text corpus,
E-lingua (CLARIN-LT) is an RI of different language
the VDU; tekstynas.vdu.lt): open access to the Corpus of the dictionaries, lexical and databases, different language
resources, instruments and technologies. Such resources
- Department of Information Systems of the contemporary Lithuanian language, parallel corpuses, the processing and analysis measures, standards,
are a data source and a study object for researchers
Faculty of Informatics, and the Technology Lithuanian language noun phrase dictionary and a spoken technologies, products and services. This integration
representing multiple science areas, but this RI is most
Centre of Information Systems Design of the language records database, as well as a possibility to use into the international structure is of vital importance as
relevant for representatives of three areas – humanities,
KTU; the automatic text accentuation system Accentuator, the it ensures the preservation of the Lithuanian language
social and physical sciences. This research infrastructure
- Institute of Applied Sciences of the VU. automatic system for the identification of a morphology resources and their permanent accessibility internationally.
is of great interest for linguists, researchers of literature
and folklore, historians, ethnologists, anthropologists, category in the text ‘Morphological annotator’, the
MTI type: network. automatic morphological word form generator ‘Morfolema’
sociologists, political scientists and social psychologists. STRUCTURE AND INTERNATIONAL
Language resources and the instruments for their analysis are text function setting programme, the automatic music
ESFRI and international cooperation: membership COOPERATION
also a subject of informatics; such resources are employed transcription programme Solo Explorer, and a set of tools
in the CLARIN ERIC. designed to create different language models. For research The project is implemented by a consortium composed of
to create artificial intelligence, software facilitating the
interaction between the man and the computer, systems purposes, the tools are accessible via the internet link of the Centre for Computational Linguistics and the Faculty
Natural language is a highly complex communication of search and retrieval of intellectual information, analysis the VDU Centre for Computational Linguistics (CCL), or as of Informatics of the VDU, the Department of Information
system, while its usage is one of the most important and processing of large texts repositories and multimedia. an internet as a website service. The most popular service Systems and the Technology Centre of Information
human abilities inseparable from any human activities. The synergy of humanities and information sciences has provided by the CCL is the machine text translation service Systems Design of the KTU, and the Institute of Applied
Therefore, the studies and knowledge of language are produced new interdisciplinary research areas, in particular from English into Lithuanian (http://vertimas.vdu.lt). Sciences of the VU. Other members are expected to
relevant from the cultural, social and technological the processing of natural language, computer linguistics or join the consortium in due time. The consortium will
The Centre for Computational Linguistics of the Faculty of
viewpoints. Within the general, specialised and language technologies that need the language resources RI. be operating as a national unit within the international
Humanities and the Faculty of Informatics of the VDU, in
applied language studies, information technologies consortium CLARIN ERIC. By participating in the joint
Lithuanian higher education and research institutions cooperation with the Department of Information Systems
are acquiring an increasingly important role and activities of CLARIN ERIC , the national consortium will be
carry out research, most of which is related to the need for of the Faculty of Informatics of the KTU, as well as the
require the regular updating of the relevant resources able to contribute to the drafting of standards, and take
using language resources and language technologies, and Technology Centre of Information Systems Design, provide
and the upgrading of language technologies. That was over a software of universal profile, i.e. suitable also for
for having access to the common platform that provides via the internet link, or as website services, automatic text
the idea underlying the creation of E-lingua (CLARIN- the Lithuanian language, and thus make the resources of
standardised services. In view of the overall prevalence analysis, internet website analysis and other language
LT), a research infrastructure operating on the basis the Lithuanian language accessible for the international
of computer technologies and the appearance of digital technology services (www.semantika.lt). The Institute of
of the Lithuanian language electronic resources, community.
text, video and audio repositories, the work of researchers Applied Sciences of Vilnius University provides open access
instruments and technologies, and comprising text to the language resources created by its researchers. The E-lingua (CLARIN-LT) RI corresponds to the ‘Inclusive
has become impossible without specialised software that
corpora, ontology and other language databases and learning society’ and ‘New materials, processes and
provides facilities for accumulating, managing and studying The principal services provided by E-lingua (CLARIN-LT)
and analysis instruments. Currently the creation of a technologies for production’ priority areas of the smart
electronic resources. Lithuania has accumulated significant together with CLARIN ERIC are related to the integration
B type CLARIN ERIC data and service centre, as well specialisation of Lithuania.
resources of the Lithuanian language and the specifically and the accessibility of European languages for Lithuanian
as the accumulation of digital language resources,
designed software; nevertheless, in terms of the nature of and European users. The membership of E-lingua in the
development of their analysis means and other
the software available and the services offered to users international consortium CLRIN ERIC provides access
technologies are in progress.
in the Lithuanian language, the system is largely lagging to large-scale digital audio, video and text databases
behind those in other EU language.
16 17
ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES OF LITHUANIA RIS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
European Social Survey (ESS LT)
Hosting institution: Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), K. Donelaičio St. 73, LT-44029 Kaunas the knowledge of social sciences. An important most important scientific themes in their research.
advantage of such surveys is that the analysis of the In recent years, the main themes of the ESS LT
Website: www.europeansocialsurvey.org/about/country/lithuania
survey data is especially instrumental in creating, have been personal and social well-being, the
verifying or developing theories, as well as for understanding and assessment of democracy, the
learning and teaching. The analysis of the ESS LT data media and social trust, a welfare state, etc.
allows obtaining evidence for the social development
Participating institutions: UNVEILING THE CURTAIN OF A standard survey is conducted in 36 states, and
processes in a comparative perspective.
CHANGES IN EUROPEAN SOCIETIES its results are used by researchers in different
- Institute of Public Policy and Administration of
social sciences and humanities from more than 160
the KTU There are more than one international iterative social EUROPEAN SOCIAL SURVEY countries of the world. The data of the ESS LT have
survey (e.g. Eurobarometer, European Values Studies), AS A EUROPEAN RESEARCH already been used in hundreds of scientific articles
however, the ESS LT study is exceptional. The survey
RI type: network. INFRASTRUCTURE CONSORTIUM and academic monographs.
measures the attitudes, beliefs and behaviour patterns
of diverse populations in more than thirty European Since 30 November 2013, the European Social Survey The Institute of Public Policy and Administration
ESFRI and international cooperation: Lithuania is a
nations. The ESS LT studies the social structure, living has been operating under the status of the European (VPAI) of the KTU is the administrator of the ESS LT
member of the ESS ERIC.
conditions and attitudes in Europe, monitors and Research Infrastructure Consortium (ESS ERIC) with and the ESS ERIC service provider in Lithuania. By
records changes in the social, political or moral fabric 14 EU Member States including the UK, Germany, implementing the ESS ERIC activities in Lithuania,
The object of social surveys is the beliefs and of European societies, while an equally important Austria, Sweden, Belgium, Poland and other countries the KTU VPAI not only contributes to the creation
behaviour of people, where the results of a objective of the study is to introduce soundly-based as its full members. Lithuania is a full member of the of pan-European indicators of national progress
survey not only allow to know society and indicators of national progress based on citizens’ ESS ERIC, and this European infrastructure was the that are based on people’s attitudes and opinions
forecast its development, but also build a more perceptions and judgements of the key aspects of their first one joined by the Republic of Lithuania. about the principal aspects of social life, but also
solid foundation and a clearer perspective for societies. Next to conventional economic indicators, every second year carries out representative opinion
ESS ERIC is an international infrastructure, and
practical solutions when facing different social, the ESS LT seeks to create comparative indicators to surveys among Lithuanian residents, provides
the implementation of its activities is the result
economic and political challenges. The European be used for the assessment and comparison of the public access to the primary data of such surveys,
of joint efforts of multiple institutions in different
Social Survey (hereinafter – the ESS LT) is an quality of life in different countries or regions. and arranges regular training for ESS LT data users
European countries. ESS ERIC is managed by the
academically driven cross-national survey that (students of social sciences, scientists, and other
Another exceptional feature of the ESS LT is its General Assembly consisting of representatives
has been conducted every two years across researchers or experts) in Lithuania.
pursuit to achieve and spread higher standards of of the Member States and appointing a Research
Europe since 2001, to measure attitudes, beliefs
rigour in cross-national research in the social sciences, Director responsible for the day-to-day actions. The surveys of the 4th, 6th and 7th wave of the ESS
and behaviour patterns of Europeans. Currently
including for example, the questionnaire design and The headquarters of the infrastructure operates LT were performed by UAB Baltijos tyrimai, and the
the 7th wave of the European Social Survey is
pre-testing, sampling, data collection, reduction of at City University London, United kingdom; the 5th wave survey was conducted by UAB RAIT. The
being implemented.
bias and the reliability of questions. In 2005, the ESS principal scientific team made up of the following six European Social Survey is conducted and its data
was the winner of the EU Descartes Prize for radical institutions: Norwegian Social Science Data Service, are presented in all cases in close cooperation with
innovations in international opinion surveys. The Leibnitz Institute for the Social Sciences, Germany; the the media; the results of the survey are published on
European Social Survey seeks to increase the visibility Netherlands Institute for Social Research, University the news portals Delfi and Alfa, and are commented
and accessibility of the data on social changes for of Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, University of Leuven, in radio and TV programmes.
researchers, policy-makers and the wider public. The Belgium, and University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Lithuania is a regular participant of methodological
ESS LT allows the specialists and the public to use As a research infrastructure, the European Social surveys of international social studies conducted by
the accumulated data at no charge and without any Survey ensures the constant collection of data about the European Social Survey.
restrictions. the attitudes and behaviour of Europeans, which
Surveys of different societies (especially multiple enables different groups of researchers to include the
surveys) are one of the essential measures to increase
18 19ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES OF LITHUANIA RIS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
Lithuanian Data Archive
social surveys, historical statistics and the political system; The European HSS data institutions are united in the
for Humanities and Social Sciences (LiDA) the data are described according to the international Consortium of European Social Science Data Archive
Hosting institution: Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), K. Donelaičio St. 73, LT-44029 Kaunas standards in English and Lithuanian. The archive stores (CESSDA) established in 2013 whose services in Lithuania
Website: www.lidata.eu the data from the European Social Survey, the European are provided by LiDA. The members of the CESSDA
Values Studies, the International Social Survey Programme, consortium are 13 European states, including Norway, the
the European Election Studies, Lithuanian national election United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia
studies and other social studies of national importance. and other states. The principal objective of the consortium
Participating institutions: QUALITY AND PUBLICLY Furthermore, access to the official statistics and the survey is a fully-fledged and sustainable infrastructure assisting
ACCESSIBLE DATA data stored at the Statistics Lithuania is currently being scientists in conducting top-level research in their search
- Institute of Public Policy and Administration of created through the LiDA catalogue. All the data in the for solutions in the face of the main challenges of modern
the KTU. A comprehensive understanding of a society is impossible system are linked to search engines, such as the Lithuanian societies.
without long-term empiric studies, and the data of such Academic Electronic Library (www.elaba.lt), the Lithuanian
surveys must be freely accessible to researchers and other CESSDA develops and coordinates the HSS data
RI type: localised, network. virtual library (www.lvb.lt), or Google, which makes them
recording standards, protocols and good professional
persons concerned. The data of public opinion polls that readily accessible to the users.
since the second half of the 20th c. have been one of the practice, while providing the general European access to
ESFRI and international cooperation: Lithuania is a LiDA also publishes teaching aids in which researchers social sciences data resources.
most important sources for social surveys are accumulated
member of the CESSDA. in relevant areas present the most advanced research
and published in specially constructed data centres – The tools installed in the LiDA long-term data storage and
empiric data repositories. The practice first appeared some methods. Two textbooks on qualitative comparative analysis
dissemination systems (such as multilingual thesauruses,
Nowadays all countries face numerous challenges 70 years ago, when the world’s oldest public opinion data and applied regression have been published under the
DDI metadata standard, OAI-PMH (Open Archives
in such areas as labour market or welfare systems, archive, the Roper Centre was established in the United ‘Research Methods’ series. The archive provides training on
Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting), provide a
healthcare or social security, demography or States in 1947. Today such archives most often serve as data analysis conducted by Lithuanian and foreign experts.
ready interface to the CESSDA cataloguing system (www.
migration and others. The ability to comprehend repositories not only of opinion surveys, but also of various Such training sessions receive considerable attention on
cessda.net). The catalogue is exceptional in its functionality
and address the challenges and the changes digital data required for social sciences and humanities. the part of HSS scientist and researchers, and the teaching
permitting simultaneous search in data archives of several
demands surveys and reliable data. Such data are aids are widely used for university level studies.
countries and, upon locating a required survey or data,
In Lithuania, the beginning of long-term storage and
also required for the purpose of implementing directly access to the archive storing the data. The search
dissemination of empiric data is associated with the
an evidence-based public policy. Quality data is performed through a multilingual thesaurus whose
establishment of humanities and social sciences (HSS)
is a vitally important part of a science-based
data archive in 2006. LiDA is a virtual digital infrastructure OPENING OF THE DATA ON Lithuanian version is integrated into the general system,
understanding and management of society.
in the HSS area (www.lidata.eu), identical to the social LITHUANIA TO THE WORLD AND while a search for data or variables may be performed
For modern states, data as well as reliable data
data repositories operating in other European countries, INTEGRATION INTO EUROPEAN in Lithuanian. In 2015, the CESSDA catalogue contained
accumulation and dissemination institutions are
such as the Swiss Foundation for Social Research (FORS), INFRASTRUCTURES more than 400 data sets stored at LiDA.
of equal importance. In Lithuania, open access
Norwegian Social Science Data Services (NSD), German As recently as several decades ago, the HSS studies were The participation of LiDA in this research infrastructure
to the data on the most important national and
Social Science Infrastructure Service (GESIS) or the UK mostly local with just a very limited number of international undeniably boosts the development and quality of
international studies is provided by the Lithuanian
Data Archive (UKDA). surveys. Now the situation is substantially different – the surveys in the Lithuanian society and its evolution, and
Data Archive for Humanities and Social Sciences
(hereinafter – LiDA). LiDA provides access to HSS survey data collected at studies are increasingly geared towards the international expands the possibilities for comparative analysis.
Lithuanian higher education and research institutions. The comparative and historical analysis, and the trend is
key providers (depositors) of the data are researchers from specifically prominent in Europe. Thus, the cooperation
Kaunas University of Technology, Vilnius University, Vytautas of LiDA with data archives in other countries and its
Magnus University, the Lithuanian Social Research centre, participation in international associations open the data
the Institute of Lithuanian History, as well as public opinion about Lithuania to the world and provide access to the
survey organisations (RAIT, Vilmorus). Currently, LiDA data created in other countries.
catalogues contain more than 500 data sets on qualitative
20 21ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES OF LITHUANIA RIS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
Research Infrastructure for Human Well-Being and
Development (HUMRE)
Hosting institution: Vilnius University, Universiteto St. 3, LT-01513 Vilnius
Website: www.humre.fsf.vu.lt
Participating institutions:
THE PURPOSE OF AND THE NEED The activities in the area are related to the analysis of of human well-being and the different stages of human
- Faculty of Philology of the VU;
FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE the problems in methodological research of ageing, the development. HUMRE provides researcher and technical
- Faculty of Natural Sciences of the VU.
development of research tools, as well as the enhancement personnel services, access to different equipment and
The HUMRE infrastructure is represented by interdisciplinary
of researchers’ competences. instruments designed to analyse human behaviour
research in the area of ageing, retirement and the database
RI type: network. and well-being, and conducts different competence
(project SHARE Lietuva), as well as by access to the material SHARE is one of the main studies in the European RI
development and internship programmes.
facilities used for studying human development and well- research area conducting international, continuous and
ESFRI and international cooperation: membership
being, and assessing human functionality. In view of the interdisciplinary research in ageing in 20 European countries
in the SHARE research infrastructure consortium,
preparedness for the SHARE ERIC membership.
improving quality of life and longer life expectancy, as well and Israel, and providing access to the database in the INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
as the average age of the population, the different research areas of health, socio-economic status, social and family
Since 2013, Vilnius University has cooperated with the
of the elderly are of utmost importance when searching networks. SHARE is primarily meant for representatives of
SHARE-ERIC infrastructure included into the European
Studies in human well-being in different stages of for possibilities to deal with the challenges created by the social sciences (demographers, economists, psychologists,
ESFRI Roadmap, and the University has been part of
evolution are an important source of information ageing of the population and ensure the well-being of the sociologists, specialists in social and political sciences,
the infrastructure activities starting with Wave 7. In 2015,
and accurate data for the academic community elderly. The issues are addressed within the framework etc.); however, it is highly relevant for representatives of
the Scientific Committee of the SHARE infrastructure
in social sciences, humanities and biomedical of SHARE – a survey for health, ageing and retirement other research areas studying the related issues (biologists,
approved the participation of Vilnius University in the
sciences, as well for the institutions responsible conducted since 2004. SHARE is one of the most important epidemiologists, medics, or researchers in public health
SHARE consortium, as a national research partner. Vilnius
for taking strategic social and political decisions interdisciplinary surveys in which Lithuania participates issues). The principal purpose of the SHARE project is
University was invited to sign an agreement that marked
and their implementation. One of the stages in through the activities of the HUMRE research infrastructure to accumulate the data on the individual and the society
the beginning of the integration of the HUMRE into the
the process of human development – ageing (ww.share-project.org). ageing processes, and provide access to such data. By 2015,
SHARE ERIC consortium. Vilnius University will participate
– is becoming a major challenge that the SHARE conducted five waves of research (2004, 2006,
The participation in the international continuous study in the research under individual waves of the SHARE until
European Union, including Lithuania, is facing. 2010, 2012 and 2014); the research included studies in living
SHARE, access to the data accumulated in the course 2024, accumulate the data of interdisciplinary research
This research area is covered by the HUMRE – a conditions, and one retrospective study SHARELIFE 2008,
of the survey, and to the material facilities required for in the international network and national database, and
network interdisciplinary human well-being and which focused on people’s life histories. Another five waves
studying human well-being and development, as well as provide its research community with quality access to
development research infrastructure participating of the studies are scheduled to be conducted by 2024.
the services provided to the scientific community are key to scientific material.
in the activities of the international SHARE (the The data collected through more than 150,000 interviews
social sciences and the fundamental and applied research
Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in allow analysing the life of people over 50, while assessing The activities under the HUMRE infrastructure are mostly
in humanities and biomedical sciences.
Europe 50+ in Europe) infrastructure. their physical and mental health, economic and public associated with two priority areas of smart specialisations
engagement, income, assets, the patterns of spending time in Lithuania: ‘Health technologies and biotechnologies’
and ‘Inclusive and creative society’.
ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES and money within and outside the family, their satisfaction
with life, as well as the well-being of people.
By participating in the SHARE infrastructure, the HUMRE
is engaged in research on ageing issues in Lithuania, and The material facilities of the HUMRE infrastructure
accumulates national data. This enables the researchers to consisting of the scientific facilities used in social and
access the SHARE data and perform a comparative analysis biomedical sciences, statistics software, instruments for
of the data collected in Lithuania and other countries. assessing human well-being and functionality, enable
different research not only in the area of ageing, but also
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