Scope:

Proposals will address part (a) or (b), but not both:

(a) Research and Innovation Actions for International Co-operation on high-end e-infrastructure requirements

Together with other countries in the world, European Member States are leading partners in the construction of the forthcoming Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope. SKA will generate huge amounts of data and a significant part will be made available online. Efficient processing and computation of the large volume of data are significant challenges and global co-operation is essential. SKA has the potential to drive innovation in query and knowledge creation on large databases, high performance computing, and communications and networking technologies.

Proposals bringing together key international partners should address all of the following aspects:

• Define and test the high-speed networking e-infrastructure architecture, components and services to respond to the bandwidth requirements for SKA data dissemination channels.
• Define and test computational requirements and architectures in terms of High-Performance Computing, distributed computing, storage e-infrastructures and services in order for the scientific community to be able to exploit SKA data.
• Foster global co-operation on management e-infrastructure and services for the exploitation of SKA data through joint efforts on global interoperability in the context of the Research Data Alliance (RDA).

Further conditions and requirements that applicants should fulfil when drafting a proposal are given in part D of the section “Specific features for Research Infrastructures”. Compliance with these provisions will be taken into account during evaluation.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU between EUR 1.5 and 3 million would allow this activity to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

(b) Coordination and Support actions for international co-operation and policy development

Proposals will address only one of the points below. At least one proposal for each point will be selected:

1. International Co-operation on e-infrastructure supporting major societal challenges: International cooperation involving different third countries, to facilitate the development of globally interoperable e-infrastructures ensuring their global reach, innovation, skill development and sharing of lessons learned. Co-operation with third countries on interoperability of e-infrastructures for networking, computing and data in order to support joint-efforts on one or more major societal challenges (e.g.: health, agriculture, education/skills, etc.). Innovation and spin-off of technology for developing and developed countries and emerging economies to establish a platform for sharing information and best practices on e-infrastructure development, deployment and operation.

Proposals should address all the following aspects:

• Define one or more key societal challenge that has significant potential of maximising benefit of e-infrastructure across developing, developed and emerging economies,
• Organise a platform for sharing information and best practices,
• Identify and explore spin-off and innovation, in particular with the co-operation of developing and developed countries.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU between EUR 0.5 and 1 million would allow this activity to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

2. Policy support to e-infrastructure programme: Support the e-IRG[[e-Infrastructure Reflection Group]] secretariat. The activities should include the collection and aggregation of relevant policy information with impact on the development of EC-funded e-infrastructures, including KPIs and cost-related information, in coordination with the funded e-infrastructure initiatives and made available in open formats for reuse. The collected information will enable the e-IRG with the support of independent expert panels to provide strategic advice on the evolution of the European e-infrastructures landscape and associated costs.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU between EUR 0.5 and 1 million would allow this activity to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

3. Support to dissemination for the e-infrastructure programme: Develop and maintain dissemination and collaboration activities for information sharing among projects and stakeholders. They should include a web-portal to convey updated information related to the evolution of e-infrastructures at regional, national and European levels, with a special focus on e-infrastructure projects funded under Horizon 2020. The portal will be a vehicle to present to experts and the wider public the catalogue of services offered by e-infrastructures as well as service-related KPIs and costs (see point above). It should support monitoring activities on take-up of open science and e-infrastructures policies (e.g. Horizon 2020 Open Research Data Pilot by research communities and citizens, per country, region and research domain).

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU between EUR 1 and 1.5 million would allow this activity to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

4. Support to small-size foresight roadmaps for the e-infrastructure programme: Support small-size foresight roadmaps for research and education communities and operators of e-infrastructure services to define long-term requirements, community-building and identification of potential collaboration from stakeholders across different geographic areas and scientific domains.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU between EUR 300 and 400 thousand would allow this activity to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected Impact:

(a) Research and Innovation Actions for International Co-operation on high-end e-infrastructure requirements: The impact of successful proposals will lead to the improvement of co-operation on e-infrastructures with European partners that are joining efforts in major research infrastructure undertakings. It will help the identification of benefits of joint technology development, standardisation and sharing risks.

(b) Coordination and Support Actions for International Co-operation and Policy Development:

International Co-operation on e-infrastructure supporting major societal challenges: will exploit the potential for further economic and educational co-operation between Europe and third countries. It will also improve the identification of areas for further co-operation on scientific development and innovation. The actions will provide mechanisms to assess measurable benefits of co-operation on major societal challenges in the developing countries.

Policy support to e-infrastructure programme: Support actions provide solid ground for future choices for a comprehensive European Research Infrastructure and especially e-infrastructure policy and enable decision making and deployment of e-infrastructures. Successful collaboration between all projects under the H2020 e-infrastructure funding brings together all key stakeholders, and enables finding further synergies towards a harmonised European e-infrastructure approach.

Support to dissemination for the e-infrastructure programme: improve awareness and knowledge about priorities of e-Infrastructures activities and strategies increasing the transparency and accountability of the workprogramme implementation.

Support to small-size foresight roadmaps for the e-infrastructure programme: improve the knowledge base for setting long-term e-infrastructure strategies and objectives.

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List of countries and applicable rules for funding: described in part A of the General Annexes of the General Work Programme.
Please also note that a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon 2020 projects (follow the links to China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Taiwan).