ELI Beamlines hosted the ceremonial opening of the SwissELITE Project, marking the official start of a strategic collaboration between ELI ERIC and key Swiss partners, including the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV). The event brought together representatives of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (MEYS), the Swiss Contribution Office in Prague (Swiss Embassy), the Ministry of Finance, research institutions, and project partners to celebrate the launch of a joint initiative that will strengthen scientific excellence, innovation capacity, and international cooperation between the Czech Republic and Switzerland.
The ceremonial opening underlined the importance of long-term investment in cutting-edge research infrastructures and the value of international partnerships in addressing major scientific and societal challenges. The participation of representatives of MEYS, as the Programme Operator, and the Swiss Contribution Office, as a key representative of the Swiss support framework, highlighted the strategic significance of the project within the broader context of the Czech-Swiss Research Infrastructure Initiative, supported by the Swiss-Czech Cooperation Programme (Second Swiss Contribution to selected EU member states).
“The launch of SwissELITE represents an important milestone in strengthening cooperation between ELI Beamlines and leading Swiss institutions. By combining complementary expertise and infrastructure, the project will help deliver new technological capabilities and create lasting value for the scientific community,” said Matthias Bachmann from the Swiss Contribution Office Prague (Embassy of Switzerland in the Czech Republic).
A strategic step in Swiss-Czech scientific cooperation
SwissELITE is designed to deepen collaboration between leading Czech and Swiss research institutions and to accelerate the development of advanced technologies and capabilities at ELI Beamlines. By connecting world-class expertise in photon science, detector development, diagnostics, and biomedical applications, the project will support the next generation of experimental tools and research services for users from academia, research, and innovation communities.
“SwissELITE represents a vision of shared objectives and outcomes that will benefit the global scientific community,” noted Marek Vyšinka, Head of the Unit for Research Infrastructures MEYS.
The main objective of the SwissELITE Project is to enhance selected research and technology capacities at ELI Beamlines through joint development with Swiss partners, enabling more advanced experiments, more precise diagnostics, and improved conditions for users working at the frontiers of laser-driven science.
“We highly appreciate the support of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the Swiss Contribution Office, whose participation in the opening ceremony reflects the broader importance of this joint initiative for the Czech-Swiss research landscape,” said Roman Hvězda, Director of the ELI Beamlines facility.
Focus on technology development and research excellence
The project brings together complementary expertise from ELI Beamlines, PSI, and CHUV in several high-impact areas of innovation. These include the development of advanced X-ray detector capabilities for time-resolved experiments, ultrafast laser-based terahertz diagnostics, and active detector technologies for photons and neutrons. Together, these activities are expected to strengthen the performance, versatility, and long-term scientific competitiveness of ELI Beamlines as a major European research infrastructure.
Among the expected outcomes of SwissELITE are:
- enhanced experimental capabilities and instrumentation at ELI Beamlines,
- improved detector and diagnostic technologies for advanced laser and photon science,
- stronger institutional ties between Czech and Swiss research partners,
- new opportunities for scientific users and interdisciplinary collaboration,
- and broader societal impact through innovation with potential relevance for healthcare, materials research, and other applied fields.
Ceremony marks the official beginning of implementation
The opening programme combined formal remarks from institutional and funding representatives with presentations introducing the project vision, work packages, and expected results. Guests also had the opportunity to learn more about the technological focus of the project and to visit selected ELI Beamlines facilities during a guided tour of the laser centre.
The event served not only as a ceremonial launch, but also as a public affirmation of the shared commitment of Czech and Swiss partners to excellence in research, innovation, and international cooperation.
About SwissELITE
The SwissELITE Project is a collaborative initiative linking ELI Beamlines / ELI ERIC with Swiss partners Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV). The project aims to strengthen advanced research infrastructure capacities, promote technology development, and expand opportunities for excellent international research cooperation under the Czech-Swiss Research Infrastructure Initiative, supported by the Swiss-Czech Cooperation Programme (Second Swiss Contribution to selected EU member states).
