2.5 High-quality open research data and role of ESFRI in EOSC
High-quality open research data and role of ESFRI in EOSC
Key Messages
http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-9029-2018-INIT/en/pdf system. EOSC provides a chance to increase data sharing beyond RIs, since it will provide European researchers with seamless access to a wealth of data23 23. Keynote speech by President von der Leyen at the World Economic Forum
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/SPEECH_20_102 and a wide range of value-added services from different national and regional backgrounds. The experience gathered by ESFRI and ESFRI-initiated RIs, including the various alternatives for governance models and fully reflecting the engagement and responsibility of RIs in and for Open Science, should be utilised to the maximum extent in the EOSC implementation24 24. Implementation Roadmap for the European Open Science. EC Staff Working Document Cloud, April 2018
https://ec.europa.eu/research/openscience/pdf/swd_2018_83_f1_staff_working_paper_en.pdf.
EOSC should have a clear extra value for its end users. These include primary scientific advantages, such as enhanced data and service connections, a better ability to address interdisciplinary and societal challenges, and improved e-infrastructure services and tools for RIs and their data consumers. On top of that political, social and cultural advantages, for example improved political decision-making capabilities, increased societal awareness and leading a change in culture towards Open Science. Further, qualifying factors such as transparency, high data quality, research acknowledgement/ credit, and training are important.
EOSC requires a longterm and sustained funding to ensure relevance, uptake and its continued existence. This funding should also reflect the evolving needs of the supported communities, with necessary periodic updates and related development initiatives. The EOSC cluster projects play an important and multi-faceted role for both EOSC and RIs, being on one side providers of data and services of all kinds (e.g. data services, research products services) and on the other side as users of services provided by EOSC. The relationship between direct funding for RIs and EOSC-derived funding for the horizontal services and resources provided for the RIs need to be considered, with the precise specification for each facility.
EOSC is working on a change of culture towards open research data according to the FAIR data principles. Such a cultural change can be achieved through targeted education and training, incentives and reward mechanisms. On top of this, the extra value of EOSC should be clearly visible for its end users, including the many benefits of Open Science, and the ‘added value’ for RIs. Further, an understanding of the costs associated with Open Science is needed. Business models, legal entity concepts as well as access models are being defined by EOSC. The RI community should act as a key player in these efforts, leading the change of culture, driving data quality and more open access to data. Together with the scientific community of users, the RIs have a key role to help the EOSC to start with a robust high-quality data sets and working commons.