The EOSC Winter School is an initiative by EOSC-A, taken up in response to collaboration needs among Horizon Europe EOSC-related projects.
Monday, 29 January – Thursday, 01 February 2024
The EOSC Winter School was conceptualised following a suggestion at the European Commission’s June coordination meeting, which identified a significant collaboration gap in the Horizon Europe (HE) EOSC-related projects. The EOSC Association, with the support of the EOSC Focus project, the HE EOSC-related projects, and local organisers from the RAISE project consortium, have organised the EOSC Winter School to address these gaps and to deepen technical understanding in various “opportunity areas”.
Venues
Participation fee: €499 (incl. VAT @ 24%)
Objectives
The main goal is to enhance collaboration and integration among HE projects. The Winter School focuses on providing an in-depth technical understanding of specific opportunity areas and integrating the deliverables of the EOSC-A Task Forces into these projects. This integration is expected to ensure continuity and application of the Task Forces’ work.
Short-term goals include immediate understanding and feedback; medium-term goals involve planning and support for upcoming projects; and long-term objectives aim to increase the sustainability of the impact pathways of INFRAEOSC projects.
This approach is designed to ensure that the Winter School has a lasting and meaningful impact on the EOSC deployment and its related projects.
Short-term objectives
- Hand over results of EOSC-A TFs to the HE EOSC-related projects.
- Establish structured collaborations between the newly mandated EOSC-A TFs and the projects.
- Hands-on technical collaboration in the six identified Opportunity Areas in order to establish closer technical collaboration between the projects.
Mid-term objectives
- To frame inter-project collaboration that allows seamless onboarding of future projects (2023 onwards)
- Contribute to shaping the vision of SRIA 2.0
Long-term objectives
- Increase the potential of the HE EOSC-related projects to deliver sustainable results that benefit the ESOC deployment and thereby maximise project impact
- The significance of this event is underscored by its potential to bring together a diverse range of perspectives, offering a rich blend of insights and experiences.
Programme
Programme overview
Monday
The event begins with an evening reception and soft launch, featuring arrival and registration, networking opportunities, and informal drinks.
Mediterranean Palace / Directions
Tuesday
The official engagement and kick-off include welcome speeches, an overview of the EOSC impact and SRIA 2.0, and introductions to Task Forces and Opportunity Areas.
KEDEA, Aristotle University
The afternoon breakout sessions will be held at the Mediterranean Palace hotel.
Mediterranean Palace / Directions
The day concludes with a gala dinner.
Wednesday
The focus is on synergy and collaboration with various working groups and speed-dating sessions for quick collaboration discussions. The day may end with an outside activity.
Mediterranean Palace / Directions
Thursday
The final morning is for consolidation and closing, with further discussions on synergy work, a joint communications plan, perspectives on SRIA 2.0, and closing remarks.
Mediterranean Palace / Directions
Opportunity Areas and other Sessions
The EOSC Winter School sessions are organised according to EOSC technical development Opportunity Areas (OAs). More details on the individual sessions will be provided here in the coming weeks. Participants will be able to select and follow one parallel session.
OA1: PIDs (Persistent Identifiers)
Introduction
The sub-programme for PIDs introduces us to the vast landscape of PID systems and activities. The session will make the fast developing landscape of PIDs transparent and introduce practices and services that will focus on improving quality and mutual learning. This will be introduced in an interactive format, focussing on providing practical tools, technical insights and the future development of PIDs.
Approach
Through sessions containing presentations, demonstrators and interactive workshops, the programme on PIDs covers a broad scale of topics and challenges in the PID landscape, quality assurance and PID policy compliance, led by projects FAIRCORE4EOSC, FAIR-IMPACT and RAISE and EOSC-A Task Force PID Policy and Implementation.
Objectives
- Identify and share efforts vital to PID development that are part of the EOSC landscape
- Identify challenges and opportunities for future collaboration on PIDs
Outcomes
- Enhanced integration of current project developments on PIDs
- Identified shared challenges and collaboration opportunities between projects and Task Forces on developments surrounding PIDs, for both the current day as the future
OA2: Metadata, Ontologies & Interoperability
Introduction
The programme of Metadata, Ontologies & Interoperability combines current results and discussions about future developments with a very practical hackathon based around the integration of existing solutions in developments of projects. The projects FAIRCORE4EOSC and FAIR-IMPACT will provide and facilitate an interactive programme, to be combined with the insights of the EOSC-A Task Force Semantic Interoperability.
Approach
The hands-on approach of the Metadata, Ontologies & Interoperability, led by projects FAIRCORE4EOSC and EOSC-A Task Forces Semantic Interoperability and Technical Interoperability, initially provides a clear overview of the current status of developments starts of with providing a clear state of the art overview of the developments in the projects and Task Forces related to metadata, ontologies and interoperability. Walking away from this session, the participants will not only be aware of the results of other projects and Task Forces, they will also have identified future challenges and new collaborations to tackle these challenges. The second day will continue the hands-on approach with a hackathon on semantic artefacts, with the goal for participants to leave the Winter School with the development of solutions that can be deployed immediately.
Objectives
- Scoping the landscape by mapping contributions from both projects and EOSC-A Task Forces on Metadata, Ontologies & Interoperability
- Identify future synergies, collaborations and needs between the projects and Task Forces
- Integrate and advance on the different developments around semantics in Metadata, Ontologies & Interoperability
Outcomes
- Deployable solutions on the challenges surrounding semantic artefacts
- Identified shared challenges and collaboration opportunities between projects and Task Forces on developments surrounding Metadata, Ontologies & Interoperability, for both the current day as the future
OA3: FAIR Assessment & Alignment
Introduction
Join the programme of FAIR assessment & alignment, where the intrinsic differences between FAIR assessment tools and methods are addressed and how you can make them work for your community and use cases. The project representatives of FAIR-EASE and FAIR-IMPACT and the Task Force co-chairs of Long-Term Data Preservation and FAIR Metrics and Data Quality will organize an interactive programme covering the different aspects of FAIR assessment, the role of quality of digital objects within the EOSC framework and its impact on long-term preservation, addressing the challenges, the practical tools and the design of this cornerstone of the EOSC environment.
Approach
In the programme FAIR Assessment & Alignment, projects FAIR-EASE and FAIR-IMPACT and EOSC-A Task Forces Long-Term Data Preservation and FAIR Metrics and Data Quality provide an interactive, hands-on programme that leads us from introducing several FAIR assessment tools and methods and quality and preservation of digital objects, to a practical user guide of FAIR assessment, concluding in the a collaborative session where all input is gathered in a hackathon to design a feedback matrix on FAIR assessment for EOSC.
Objectives
- Enhance knowledge on FAIR assessment tools, methods and FAIR implementation profiles and provide practical lessons on how to include FAIR assessment in project specific use cases and communities
- Integrate the diverse landscape on FAIR assessment and bringing them into focus for HE EOSC-related projects and EOSC-A Task Forces
Outcomes
- Condensing methods and tools on FAIR assessment and FAIR implementation into a transparent, accessible matrix for stakeholders of EOSC
- Identified shared challenges and collaboration opportunities between projects and Task Forces on developments surrounding FAIR Assessment, for both the current day as the future
OA4: User & Resource Environments
Introduction
User and Resource Environments is one of the key concepts of EOSC. The User and Resource Environments program will address many of the challenges of this ever-evolving ecosystem, with a focus on Virtual Research Environments (VREs) that act as an open scientific gateway and connect EOSC users and communities. The EuroScienceGateway and AquaINFRA projects and the EOSC-A Task Force Technical Interoperability will first provide an overview of the developments related to VREs, with insights on the use, deployment, requirements and usability of VREs as well as an overview of all underlying services required to support EOSC users and services. Tools and services to facilitate data transfers, data discovery and data access as well as tools and services to orchestrate heterogeneous IT infrastructures will be covered. This will be the basis for the hands-on hackathon sessions where the current VREs features will be demonstrated and tested.
Approach
The User and Resource Environments session will discuss challenges that are frequently encountered, with VREs at the center. The EuroScienceGateway, AquaINFRA projects and the Technical Interoperability of Data and Services Task Force offer a diverse program that goes beyond current VREs use and seeks close collaboration for future developments, with sessions alternating between information in the form of presentations and demonstrations and practical problem solving in interactive workshops.
Objectives
- Overview of EOSC tools and services facilitating data transfers, data discovery and data access as well as tools and services to orchestrate heterogeneous IT infrastructures
- Present the previously collected overview of supported and used VREs in EOSC
- Align previous, current, and future VRE activities
Outcomes
Establishment of hands-on SIGs (special interest groups) to fix common VRE-related problems and EOSC pain points regarding VREs together
OA5: Skills, Training, Rewards, Recognition, & Upscaling
Introduction
Join us in an interactive programme focusing on Skills, Training, Rewards, Recognition, and Upscaling, with added emphasis on Research Assessment. Gain insights from Task Force Co-chairs on Upskilling Countries and Data Stewardship, Curricula and Career Paths, and learn how to enhance your training impact in the community. Engage with Skills4EOSC, EOSC4Cancer, and EuroScienceGateway as they share expertise in creating targeted training programmes, understanding the full training lifecycle, and developing a FAIR and Open Science training ecosystem.
Approach
The program features interactive workshops and discussions led by Task Force Co-chairs and representatives from Skills4EOSC, EuroScienceGateway, and EOSC4Cancer. Key themes include upskilling countries, data stewardship, curricula, career paths, and FAIR and Open Science training.
Objectives
- Integrate and emphasize Skills, Training, Rewards, Recognition, and Upscaling within the EOSC framework.
- Highlight the importance of Research Assessment in EOSC’s context.
Outcomes
Enhanced integration and understanding of these elements in EOSC projects, aligning with EOSC’s diverse short-term, medium-term, and long-term objectives.
OA6: Open Scholarly Communication
Introduction
This sub-programme is a pivotal component of the INFRAEOSC initiative, focusing on the critical and often underrepresented field of Open Scholarly Communication (OSC). OSC is defined as the system through which research and other scholarly writings are created, evaluated for quality, disseminated to the scholarly community, and preserved for future use.
Approach
This program aims to bring together key stakeholders from various domains to address the integration and advancement of OSC within EOSC. Recognizing the global significance of the Diamond Open Access model, as supported by entities like EC and UNESCO, the program seeks to establish a robust framework for OSC, identifying gaps, fostering collaborations, and setting strategic directions for future development. The sub-session caters to a diverse audience from the various EOSC projects, including researchers, technical experts, facilitating a multi-faceted discussion on the challenges and opportunities in OSC.
Objectives
- Integrate and Advance OSC within EOSC: This objective aims to bring together key stakeholders to enhance the role and integration of OSC within the EOSC, ensuring that it aligns with the broader goals and strategies of the EOSC.
- Identify Gaps, Foster Collaborations, and Set Strategic Future Directions for OSC: This involves identifying existing gaps in the OSC landscape, fostering collaborations among various stakeholders, and setting strategic directions for the future development of OSC.
Outcomes
- Shared Understanding of OSC
- Actionable Strategies for Integrating Data Management and Scholarly Publishing
- Collaborative Roadmap for Advancing OSC within EOSC
INFRAEOSC Projects: Sustainable pathways to impact
Introduction
One of the main tasks within EOSC Focus WP4 is to liaise with the HE INFRAEOSC projects under the “Research Infrastructures” Work Programme and to incorporate their development into the EOSC-landscape monitoring activities. To date:
- The HE Impact Working Group has been established, to discuss the current developments within EOSC and to enhance synergies and productive collaboration;
- The EOSC implementation Macro-Roadmap has been launched, mapping all the initial results from the projects against the SRIA activity areas. The Macro-Roadmap will continue to be developed as results and impact case studies become available.
In order to increase the collaboration within the scope of EOSC, the EOSC Focus project plans to provide support to the INFRAEOSC projects for the evaluation of their EOSC-related impacts.
Approach
This session will centre on assessing the projects’ needs for sustainability measures for impactful results and on receiving feedback on the provisional concept for a toolkit to be designed for the purpose. The session will employ an interactive workshop format, utilising scenarios and supporting practical engagement.
Objectives
Following the Winter School, EOSC Focus will develop an HE-project impact (self)assessment toolkit, based on the feedback received from the HE projects during the workshop, and framed by the EOSC Partnership Specific Impact Pathways, detailing the specific components that it should contain, including: relevant sustainability indicators for the Key Exploitable Results (KERs), baselines, expected targets, methods for collecting the data.
Outcomes
A toolkit for the (self)assessment of the sustainability perspectives of the projects’ KERs, towards the delivery of an impactful project.
Secretariat
Marthe Bierens
Technishe Universität Graz
RDM – EOSC Focus
+43 316 873 – 30687
eosc_winterschool_2024@eosc.eu
Logistics and Payments
Niki Bai
NB Events – Conference Services
+30 2310 223461
+30 6973 923328
bai@nbevents.gr
