LEAPS

The League of European Accelerator based-Photon Sources (LEAPS) is the network of all Synchrotron Radiation and Free Electron Laser (FEL) user facilities in Europe. Its primary goal is to actively and constructively ensure and promote the quality and impact of fundamental, applied and industrial research carried out at LEAPS facilities to the greater benefit of European science, innovation, and society.

The collaboration unites 16 organisations representing 19 facilities through a common vision of enabling scientific excellence solving global challenges and boosting European competitiveness and integration. This will be achieved through a common sustainable strategy developed in consultation with all stakeholders, including national policy makers, user communities and the European Commission.

LEAPS deploys its substantial collective knowledge, experience and expertise in synchrotron and FEL science and technology, Research Infrastructure management, and service to scientific users and stakeholders to the greater benefit of European science and society. It also aims to play an integrating role for countries with less developed communities and infrastructure for research and innovation, in Europe and beyond.

At the 8^th LEAPS plenary in Krakow Poland, our scientific director Bernd Rech was voted onto the board of Directors for LEAPS where he will serve as incoming chair in 2026, acting chair for 2027 and outgoing chair for 2028. Therefore, not only is 2027 the 10^th anniversary of LEAPS but it is also the year the HZB leads LEAPS.