What is the idea behind User-groups?

One of the goals of EU Research Infrastructure (RI) projects like Infravec2 is to encourage mobility and interaction between scientists in different European countries. The infrastructure-rich countries (e.g., France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK) are also rich in scientific research capacity. Allowing these scientists to request resources from providers in their own country would not promote diversification, and instead could intensify inequalities between infrastructure-rich and less rich countries.

Why do I need to form a User-group?

If your workplace is in the same country as the provider of the Infravec2 product you want (look at the “Additional information” tab on the product page), you have two choices:

• You can order a similar product from a provider in a country different from yours (see links “You may also like…” at the bottom of the product page).
• Otherwise, you will need to form a user group to request the product.

Note: your country is defined by the location of your workplace, not by your personal citizenship.

What is a User-group?

A User-group is comprised of multiple Infravec2 users, where a majority of the members are located in any combination of countries other than the provider of the Infravec2 product. A User-group member located in a non-provider country orders the product, and shares it with the other members.

This is consistent with EU rules, because the process leads to interaction among scientists in different countries. It is consistent with Infravec2 rules, because the product was requested by the User-group, so sharing of the product among User-group members is not redistribution to an outside third party. Redistribution to a party other than the requesting user or User-group would require permission.

How to form a User-group

If you work in the same country as the provider of the Infravec2 product, and there is no similar product made in a different country from yours, then you

• Identify at least two other scientists located in any European or eligible countries except where the product is made
• The User-group needs only to have a majority outside the product country, and one of the non-product country scientists who agrees to be the User-group head
• Your User-group decides among the members what product(s) you need, and how to organize the scientific collaboration between you (no official form or document is required)
• The User-group head logs onto the Infravec2 Products site (all members of the User-group need to be registered as Infravec2 users before proceeding)
• The User-group head enters the members of the User-group in the Products site, and places the order for the User-group
• At the time of ordering, the User-group head placing the order can request that we ship the material to any one of the User-group members, including the member located in the product country
• Membership in a User-group authorizes the members to share the Infravec2 product among the user-group members, without requesting additional permission from us
• You can reuse the same User-group later with a different member as head to order Infravec2 products made in a different country, for use by User-group members

Example: You work at an institute in France, and you need an Infravec2 product made in France. You identify at least two other scientists located in any European or eligible country except France (for example, one in Portugal and one in Bulgaria), and form a User-group with them. The Bulgarian or Portuguese scientist places the order, receives the material, and shares it with the User-group members; or else they can request that we ship the material directly to you in France.

Additional useful information

Hint: Form your User-group with most of its members outside the eight product producing countries of Infravec2 (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Greece). That way, the User-group will have the greatest long-term flexibility to access any Infravec2 products from any of the producing countries.

Eligibility to form User-groups: Researchers working in any country worldwide.

Our goal is to make the user-group process simple and transparent. By mastering the User-group mechanism, you will have access to the entire range of Infravec2 products. In addition, we also hope that the User-groups generate true trans-national scientific collaboration. By forming User-groups with scientists in non-infrastructure rich countries, you will be contributing to Infravec2 and EU goals of scientific mobility, interaction and capacity strengthening in the field of vector biology.

Please contact us if you have questions.