Important terms
Research infrastructure
The term ‘research infrastructure’ is used as a general term in this text and covers research infrastructures that come within the EU’s definition6. The project recommendations are also relevant for technology infrastructures that come within the EU’s definition of technology infrastructures7 and of testing and experimentation infrastructures8.
Higher education institutions
‘Higher education institutions’ or HEIs generally refers to organisations that provide higher education where central government is the accountable authority (also called public-sector HEIs). These can include both universities and university colleges9. The majority of these HEIs are regulated by the same acts and ordinances. However, a few HEIs are regulated by separate ordinances. From 2024, the Swedish Defence University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences have been regulated in such separate ordinances10. There are also HEIs that are not state-owned, such as Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Jönköping, which are operated by foundations, and have their own separate agreements with central government. These HEIs often follow the same rules as the public-sector HEIs, partly because this may be a requirement in order to receive certain central government grants.
Host organisation
‘Host organisation’ means the organisation responsible for the operation of the research infrastructure. In some cases, such as Max IV11 and SciLifeLab12, there is an organisation that is regulated separately by the Swedish Government. Some research infrastructures, including SciLifeLab, are also distributed, with several organisations hosting different parts.
External user
‘External user’ means a user who does not belong to the HEI or research institute hosting the research infrastructure.
Mediator
Mediators are actors who offer services related to the use of research infrastructures. A mediator may be a research institute or a private actor with specific skills that enable the mediator to act as a link between an external user and the research infrastructure. A mediator may have parallel roles in the research landscape.
Footnotes
6. Chapter 1 Article 2(91) of Commission Regulation No 651/2014.
7. European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, Technology infrastructures – Commission staff working document, Publications Office, 2019,
https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/83750
8. Chapter 1, Article 2(98a) of Commission Regulation No 651/2014.
9. Swedish Council for Higher Education (2023) Svensk-engelsk ordbok för den högre utbildningen https://www.uhr.se/publikationer/svensk-engelsk-ordbok/larosate [16 July 2024]).
10. https://www.uka.se/swedish-higher-education-authority/for-students/laws-and-regulations
11. Förordning (1994:946) om den nationella forskningsanläggningen i elektronacceleratorlaboratoriet (MAX IV-laboratoriet) i Lund, Förordning (2013:118) om Nationellt centrum för livsvetenskaplig forskning.
12. https://www.scilifelab.se/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/General-Terms-and-Conditions-for-Funding.pdf