ACCESS2ACCESS: Shaping the Future EU Access Pathways for Research Infrastructures

ACCESS2ACCESS lays the foundations for a future European access framework enabling world-class research through open, integrated and sustainable use of Research Infrastructures (RIs). It unites leading RIs across domains to address a core need: making access discoverable, inclusive, fair, efficient, scalable and adaptable, while aligning with ERA priorities, the European Charter for Access to RIs and the next MFF/FP10. The project directly supports the European Strategy on Research and Technology Infrastructures (2025), which calls for integrated “one-stop” access, AI-assisted navigation, simplified and sustainable funding models, and stronger EU–national coherence across infrastructures.Researchers struggle to identify and utilise RI capabilities in Europe’s fragmented landscape due to unfamiliarity with RI terminology or structures, resulting in missed opportunities to leverage the diverse RI portfolio.ACCESS2ACCESS builds on lessons from INFRA-IA and INFRA-SERV, best practices from operational RIs and gap analyses to: (1) build a robust evidence base by analysing national and European schemes; (2) capture stakeholder and user needs through consultations, deep dives and policy dialogues; (3) co-design governance, funding and policy models aligned with the RI Access Charter; (4) develop a conceptual AI-assisted single-entry discovery model to harmonise the user journey; (5) maximise uptake, impact and policy embedding through dissemination, stakeholder communication and exploitation planning; and (6) ensure coordination, ethics and compliance through GDPR- and AI-ethics-aligned oversight and an Advisory Board.Combining evidence-gathering, stakeholder co-creation, policy and governance modelling, concept prototyping and a multi-layered engagement structure—Executive Team, Supporting and Consultation Network, Advisory Board—along with dissemination, clustering and early policy engagement will ensure visibility, uptake and long-term impact.