Meeting summaries

Here are meeting summaries from the The Vice-Chancellor's Research Infrastructure Council.

RFIR 18 August 2025

Summary:

The Council discussed the ongoing work with research infrastructure and how information about it is presented on the university website. Plans for a new booking system for LUMIA were presented, with ideas for future features such as an inventory function and external access. Updates were also shared on national infrastructures, including MAX IV, and the discussion emphasized strengthening the university’s involvement in initiatives like NAISS, EISCAT and EPOS. Other topics included setting measurable indicators for research infrastructure in the 2026–2030 strategic plan, preparations for MAX IV’s visit in October, VR’s current infrastructure survey, and the need to develop a clear decommissioning strategy.

Key points:

1. Introduction: New member in the Council – Daria Sas, Grants Office, research infrastructure. Brief presentations of other members in the Council. Council meeting summaries will be made publicly available on the LTU website to improve transparency.
2. Research infrastructure on the website: Discussion on ongoing mapping of equipment. Discussion on the need for continuous updates and possible introduction of a registry and booking system for equipment, as well as system support for roles and responsibilities.
3. Booking system for LUMIA: Purchase of a booking system with an equipment registry function and the possibility for external actors outside LTU to book.
4. National infrastructures: Discussion on how LTU can increase the use of MAX IV and NAISS. Question raised about AI clusters and collaboration around computing resources. Need for a strategic dialogue on the university’s role in international infrastructures was discussed.
5. VR needs inventory: Upcoming call (autumn 2025). Importance of LTU researchers participating in networks. Suggestion: digital meeting with heads of research subjects to discuss strategy and mobilization.
6. Strategic plan 2026–2030: Proposal to include indicators for research infrastructure in the new plan. Goal for LTU to be a formal partner in at least 1–2 infrastructures by 2030. Suggested indicators: 1) Number of approved applications for infrastructure use; 2) Number of formal partnerships/coordination roles in national or international infrastructures.
7. Other matters: Visit from MAX IV to LTU on 30 October; discussion on setup and participants. VR’s infrastructure survey: opportunity to report infrastructures not currently in the national system. Deadline 3 September. Decommissioning strategy: need to develop routines and a strategy for phasing out infrastructure.

RFIR 19 November 2025

The council discussed ongoing work with research infrastructure at LTU, including updates to the website, results from the Lab Fund, and progress in the procurement of the LUMIA booking system. A proposal to organize a FoInfra Day as an internal/external event during the spring 2026 was raised to strengthen internal dialogue and increase the visibility of the infrastructures.

The council also discussed the possibility of establishing new LTU infrastructures, with both an HPC/AI cluster and the MCE Lab identified as potential candidates. With reference to the European strategy for research and technology infrastructures, it was noted that the MCE Lab may be relevant both as an LTU infrastructure and, in the longer term, as a national infrastructure.

Further information was provided about the work on backup power within the Future Campus project, particularly focusing on ensuring safe operation in laboratory environments during extended power outages.

The council also received a status update from URFI, emphasizing the ongoing needs assessment at the Swedish Research Council and the importance of LTU’s active participation in national networks.

Finally, career paths and positions for staff working within research infrastructure were discussed. A mapping of positions at other higher education institutions will form the basis for further dialogue with HR

Next meeting - 11 December 2025

RFIR 11 December 2025

The Council discussed the ongoing work on research infrastructure at LTU. Updates to the equipment list and the development of a more structured and user-friendly web presentation are being carried out through collaboration between the Grants Office and the Development Office. As part of this work, a project is underway to enable a university-wide procurement of a booking system for research infrastructure by aligning existing needs and requirements.

Planning for the FoInfra Day on 22–23 April 2026 has started. The event will take place in connection with the inauguration of new WISE instruments and aims to provide an overview of LTU’s research infrastructures, their current use, and future development. The FoInfra Day is intended to increase visibility, improve coordination, and strengthen the shared understanding of the role of research infrastructure in the university’s research activities.

During the meeting, MCE Lab and its operations were presented as an important technical research facility at LTU. MCE Lab offers advanced equipment and specialist expertise used across several research areas and in collaboration with both academia and industry. The discussion focused on how the laboratory could be further developed as a shared research infrastructure at LTU and its potential role at the national level in the longer term.

Other matters included work related to LTU’s input to the Swedish Research Council’s needs inventory.

The next meeting will be held on 12 February 2026

RFIR 12 February 2026