Fostering harmonised access across environmental research infrastructures: Insights from IRISCC and other collaborative projects

Global environmental challenges require coordinated access to research infrastructures (RIs) to enable integrated observations, collaborative science, and interdisciplinary research. However, access practices remain fragmented, limiting the potential for transnational research and innovation. This work presents efforts to harmonize access procedures within the environmental RI landscape, promoted by the ACTRIS Services and Access Management Unit in the IRISCC project, building on previous experiences from ATMO-ACCESS, ITINERIS, and other complementary initiatives.

IRISCC calls for Transnational Access (TA) are crucial for promoting cross-border collaboration and supporting researchers in accessing in situ facilities and long-term experimental platforms. Results from these calls demonstrate strong user interest in multi-RI access for integrated projects and highlight the potential for interdisciplinary research. Lessons learned from the calls highlight both technical and organizational challenges, such as aligning eligibility rules and integrating digital tools for access management.

Drawing on these projects, this contribution identifies good practices for harmonization, such as common guidelines, streamlined application workflows, and shared evaluation criteria, which together improve transparency and user experience. At the same time, it outlines lines of action for future developments to achieve more harmonized access models, virtual access solutions, coordinated user support, and the integration of strategies at the national and European levels. Continued collaboration among RIs is therefore essential to move from ad hoc solutions to a comprehensive access framework that supports the FAIR principles and maximizes societal impact.

By sharing insights from IRISCC and related initiatives, this presentation aims to inform future strategies for integrated access, promoting a more connected and efficient research infrastructure ecosystem.