In-Kind partners from Estonia, Hungary and Poland visit ESS

December 4, 2023

The European Spallation Source is often described as a huge jigsaw puzzle, with knowledge, know-how, qualified personnel, sophisticated components, equipment and systems provided by tens of research institutions, laboratories and high-tech Industries.

As a result, over the past years, thousands of scientists, engineers, technologists, administrative and financial experts from Partner Institutions as well as from industrial subcontractors contributed and still are contributing to the ESS endeavour.

These qualified specialists across Europe handle administrative, design, legal and engineering tasks behind the scenes, and/or working remotely. Consequently, many have never had the opportunity to come to the central site and see at first-hand what they have contributed to.

Hence the decision to organise “In-Kind Partners Visit & Workshop” events.
On 30 November and 1 December, the last of this series of events for 2023 took place at ESS in Lund.
During the two-day visit to ESS, In-Kind Partners, this time from Estonia, Hungary and Poland, had the chance to see the results of their long-term efforts in the ESS Project. For almost all of the guests this was their first visit to ESS.

This event was the 4^th in a series which started in November 2022 and continued in March and September 2023.

In total to date, ESS hosted more than 150 representatives from IK Partner Institutions and selected industrial subcontractors.
As for the previous events, when IK Partners were received from UK, France and Italy, they had the opportunity to attend a much appreciated guided tour of the facility on the afternoon of the first day, and an interactive workshop in the main auditorium in the morning of the second day.

Richárd Laky of the Hungarian Coldforming company (Spinto Hungária Kft) commented after the latest event:

"We would like to thank you again the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit ESS (especially before closing the lid of the target). I can say (also in the name of my colleagues) that it was way more interesting than we could imagine ever to see it with our own eyes, and last but not least it was really enjoyable to listen to your fascinating presentations and enjoying your kind hospitality."

Mark Robinson, the Head of the In-Kind Management Division, summed up as follows:

“It has been great to see how much those handling the crucial administrative, financial, supply and legal matters at the Partners and their key supplier personnel have enjoyed these events. Those involved from In-Kind Management and other teams at ESS have also benefited from the interactive workshops and the plan is to continue this program in the spring of next year. The main target audience then will be the remaining member states’ teams and their In-Kind contributors.”