News: June 24: Links to the final, published reports on the updated Science Vision and Infrastructure Roadmap are provided here, as well as a link to the ERTRC web page .

The ESO Council has approved the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) project; the next major ESA missions have been selected; the SKA and CTA projects are off to a firm start; and the US TMT and other global projects are making similar progress. Thus, the major milestones on the road forward for European astronomy have now been laid down as foreseen in the ASTRONET Science Vision and Infrastructure Roadmap, and the first major steps to implement the Roadmap have now been successfully completed. The fundamental documents have also been updated to take stock of where we are today, incorporating community feedback received at the 2013 and 2014 EWASS meetings - see the links to the final Science Vision and Infrastructure Roadmap update reports at the ASTRONET web site.

ASTRONET was formed to initiate the science-based strategic planning for the development of all of European astronomy, which is behind this notable achievement. The European funding agencies behind ASTRONET agree that similarly comprehensive strategic coordination must continue on a permanent basis, without temporary life support from the EU. Accordingly, preparations for a new ASTRONET agreement by the end of 2015 are under way: The road is clear for the busy decade of scientific and practical preparations ahead of us.

Today, the key questions are, "Where are we; what did we miss; and where do we go from here?". Partial answers are given in the Roadmap update, but future planning will not be a mere extrapolation of the past: The new mega-projects will need new forms of cooperation and coordination; and new major players, notably China and India, will play important roles in parallel with Europe and the USA. This session will present ASTRONET's plans to maintain the key planning and coordination functions on a permanent basis, and will discuss with the audience how Europe can best lead the way to a flourishing and cost-effective future for global astronomy.

Programme

• Taking the Vision from one Decade into the Next
• Cross-cutting Needs and Actions - Tapping into H2020
• Radio Astronomy in Europe: Up to, and beyond, 2025
• Future Strategy for OIR Astronomy
• Space and Ground Multi-Messenger Synergy
• "ASTRONET after ASTRONET"
• What role for Europe in global astronomy in 2025+?

Invited speakers

• Ronald Stark (NWO, The Netherlands)
• Michael Garrett (ASTRON, The Netherlands)
• Jason Hessels (Univ. of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
• Bruno Leibundgut (ESO HQ, Germany)
• Xavier Barcons (Instituto de Fisica de Cantabria (CSIC-UC), Spain)
• Colin Vincent (STFC, UK)
• Johannes Andersen (Univ. of Copenhagen, Denmark)

Scientific organisers
The ASTRONET Executive Committee c/o Johannes Andersen,
The Niels Bohr Institute, Univ. of Copenhagen, Denmark

Contact
Johannes Andersen: ja @ nbi.ku.dk