The European Open Science Cloud: How this initiative is advancing open data and collaboration
Freely accessible data with FAIR principles so research outputs can be easily reused
The European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) is an initiative designed to create a federated, open, and multi-disciplinary digital environment for European researchers, academics, innovators, and citizen scientists. At its core, EOSC aims to facilitate the sharing, discovery, and reuse of research data, tools, and services, fostering collaboration and accelerating scientific progress. A key principle of EOSC is adherence to the FAIR data standards – Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability – ensuring that research outputs are widely available, reusable, and beneficial across disciplines.
The initiative is recognised as the "science, research and innovation data space" which will be fully articulated with the other sectoral data spaces defined in the European strategy for data. EOSC is being developed as a “Web of FAIR Data and Services,” integrating existing infrastructures, repositories, and tools across Europe. Rather than replacing current systems, EOSC connects them, reducing silos and facilitating seamless data exchange.
By making research data freely accessible, EOSC removes barriers to knowledge, enabling scientists to validate findings, build upon existing research, and drive innovation. It enhances transparency, reduces duplication of effort, and ensures that publicly funded research delivers maximum impact. A key milestone in EOSC’s development is the launch of the EOSC EU Node, an European-level gateway providing access to a wide range of research resources, from datasets and computing power to AI-driven analytical tools. This infrastructure enables secure, user-friendly access to open research assets while ensuring compliance with European data protection and ethical standards.
Open data also supports cross-disciplinary collaboration, allowing researchers in different fields to combine insights and tackle complex global challenges such as climate change, public health, and artificial intelligence. By fostering openness, interoperability, and collaboration, EOSC is helping to shape the future of European research, making it more efficient, inclusive, and impactful.
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