Towards a comprehensive user strategy for Integrated Research Infrastructures advancing environmental science: Insights from the ITINERIS project

In a global scenario marked by polycrises, environmental challenges are increasingly intertwined with social and economic issues, exacerbated by geopolitical instability. Climate change, environmental degradation, and resource depletion demand innovative and coordinated solutions supported by robust and accessible research tools. Research Infrastructures (RIs), as envisioned by ESFRI, play a pivotal role in addressing these interconnected challenges by fostering innovation, advancing science, and providing high-quality research services. To maximize their societal and scientific impact, a dynamic, user-driven strategy is essential for effectively engaging a broad and diverse user community.

The ITINERIS project—an Italian initiative to create an integrated environmental research infrastructure system across atmospheric, marine, terrestrial, and geospheric domains—aims to strengthen the role of Italian RIs in addressing global environmental challenges. Through an innovative, user-centric approach, ITINERIS enhances accessibility, fosters cross-disciplinary collaboration, and ensures alignment with European standards such as the FAIR principles and the European charter for access to research infrastructures. This effort seeks to establish a model for how RIs can address pressing environmental and societal challenges.

This contribution focuses on the preliminary activities for the development of the ITINERIS user strategy. A comprehensive analysis of user needs and the maturity level of participating RIs in terms of user engagement and access policies has been implemented through a rigorous methodological approach—including empirical surveys, stakeholder consultations, and desk research—to serve as the basis for the strategy. Results highlight the current state of user strategies and access frameworks across ITINERIS partners. The findings reveal significant opportunities for harmonizing methods, enhancing data accessibility, fostering collaboration across diverse scientific and industrial sectors and mostly to understand the future directions of environmental research based on the evolving user needs. Periodic enhancement of the user profiles and detailed categorizations of user demands will help further future development and customization of services, effective standardized procedures for physical, remote, and virtual access ensuring equity and efficiency in resource utilization, and improved satisfaction. Ultimately, the development of a digital platform offering access to data, tools, and facilities will directly contribute to the achievement of user strategy outcomes by ensuring that ITINERIS effectively addresses the evolving needs of the environmental research community, promoting seamless interdisciplinary research and maximizing the impact of its research infrastructure. Innovative strategies are also being implemented to enhance RI accessibility for the Third Sector, schools, and municipalities.

These outcomes underscore the importance of a user-driven approach as a foundational element for the long-term sustainability of RIs and for maximizing their societal value.

ITINERIS’ achievements not only provide a blueprint for advancing environmental research but also highlight the potential of RIs to drive transformative change. By paving the way for an integrated, efficient, and responsive environmental research ecosystem, ITINERIS demonstrates how integrated infrastructures can support cutting-edge science, inform policymaking, and contribute to a sustainable future.

Acknowledgement: the research has been funded by EU - Next Generation EU Mission 4, Component 2 - CUP B53C22002150006 - Project IR0000032 – ITINERIS - Italian Integrated Environmental Research Infrastructures System.

 

Keywords: Research Infrastructures, Environmental Challenges, ITINERIS, User Strategy, Sustainability, Access Policies, Integrated Research, Decision Support.