As a result of minister Fientje Moerman's request for recommendations regarding the support given to Flemish researchers in large-scale multi-lateral research infrastructures (such as CERN, ESRF, EMBL, ESO, etc.), a VRWB ad hoc work group is working on an update of a VRWB summary report from 1996. The facilities are described within this report, a thorough analysis of the existing situation is made, and the minister's questions are discussed in greater detail. In addition, the work group also wishes to consider opportunities and new requirements for the future pro-actively.
In the first discussions, some acute obstacles were identified, esp. related to CERN and synchrotron radiation, for which a short-term solution would need to be provided. The VRWB wishes a priori to bring these obstacles to the minister's notice with this first 'sub-recommendation'.
The federal government takes care of the 'membership fee' of this large-scale infrastructure, which only ensures access to the installations (particle accelerators, synchrotron ring, etc.). The Communities bear the project costs. For Flanders, this is done via FWO Flanders, which is at the heart of the problem. The problems are caused by the way with in which large and long-term initiatives are financed from the structural subsidy channels of the FWO Flanders. The distribution mechanism with the FWO and the financial scope of these projects with respect to traditional FWO projects are obstacles and influence the continuity of the projects and the consolidation of human potential.
Considering the fact that very high-value fundamental research is involved here, the VRWB is asking for more guarantees for these researchers who have been profiled and who act as an attraction in their domains.
A potential solution to the above-mentioned problem is to have a separate credit line for recurring institutional costs for these projects, according to the Council. Preference is given to financing within the subsidy channel of FWO Flanders.