As one of ELI’s earliest supporters, Poland participated in the preparatory phase, and contributed to ELI’s scientific rationale, technical specifications and governance architecture. Since then, Polish researchers have engaged in the construction, commissioning, and scientific exploitation of ELI's facilities, advancing knowledge across a range of disciplines.
“Poland’s accession to ELI as an Observer marks an important step in strengthening our country’s position within the European research infrastructure landscape,” says Mr Michał Goszczyński, Director of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. “Participation in ELI aligns with our strategic priorities in the development of laser sciences, advanced materials or next-generation semiconductor technologies. We see this as an investment in the internationalisation and competitiveness of Polish science, and we look forward to deepening our engagement with the ELI community with a view to build a strong case for the future membership in ELI.”
This step expands access to unique experimental capabilities, and increases the involvement of Polish researchers and industry in international scientific collaborations. Observer status will provide Poland with the possibility of shaping the future development of one of the most advanced research infrastructures in Central Europe, including new areas of cooperation like dual-use research and radiobiology.
Poland intends to develop complementary facilities that prepare researchers for experiments at ELI while extending the reach of laser science into areas of national priority. This will expand ELI’s user base to Polish industry as well. The coordinated approach will maximise the return on investment and create a coherent, layered landscape of photonics capability across Europe.
“We are glad to open this new chapter in our cooperation with ELI,” says Prof. Henryk Fiedorowicz, Military University of Technology. “We look forward to actively contributing to the development of ELI and the close partnership developed between ELI and the Polish research community which has created a strong foundation for this next stage of engagement. We thank our ELI colleagues for their support bringing Poland into the consortium.”
In recent years, cooperation between Poland and ELI has intensified through stakeholder meetings, scientific conferences, training activities, industry engagement, and student visits to ELI. Dedicated initiatives such as ELI Days, university outreach activities, and joint scientific events have helped establish strong links between ELI and the broader Polish research community.
The collaboration is coordinated by the ELI – Polska National Consortium, which brings together 11 research organisations (7 universities and 4 national research institutes) across Poland and supports scientific engagement, student exchanges, outreach activities with ELI. The consortium is led by Military University of Technology in Warsaw.
“The strength of the Polish research community and its active engagement with ELI make Poland a valuable addition to the ELI community,” says Allen Weeks, Director General of ELI. “Its participation strengthens ELI’s scientific network and broadens opportunities for collaboration across the region.”
Observer status serves as a stepping stone towards deepening scientific engagement, align national infrastructure with ELI's roadmap, and broaden participation across academia and industry alike.