EOSCpilot is delivering these objectives by working in the following areas.
Science Demonstrators.
EOSCpilot investigated how the EOSC can help address scientific challenges through some pilot science demonstrators across a range of research domains. Each demonstrator considered some aspect of how EOSC services can enable greater data reuse and drive development of the EOSC. A total of 15 science demonstrators were undertaken, seeking solutions to any known “showstoppers” and investigating how any obstacles in data and infrastructure interoperability can be overcome.
Interoperability and Service Architectures.
The EOSC is seen as a distributed, decentralised System-of-Systems based on components independently provided and managed by different organizations. Some of the technical challenges inherent in establishing this vision were investigated in work on service architecture and interoperability. EOSCpilot developed an architectural framework for tools to work together with open interfaces between them to provide a comprehensive and evolving set of services. This architecture will support an open knowledge production lifecycle where the outputs of the research process can be created, deposited, analysed, published and preserved, and can be discovered, accessed and reused. This will enable the EOSC service portfolio to grow incrementally according to stakeholder defined principles and user needs.
Skills and Community.
EOSCpilot engaged with a broad range of stakeholders to build the consensus required to address some of the cultural challenges inherent in adoption of an open approach to scientific research. Developing the necessary skills and capabilities so that the scientific community can take the best advantage of the EOSC is key to the wider take-up of opportunities for researchers to adopt open science practices. Building upon existing work, EOSCpilot established a skills framework that will help infrastructures, institutions, and other stakeholders to find, access and benefit from relevant skills developments. This will further the development of data stewardship and other related roles required to sustain data science services, such as those exemplified by the Science Demonstrators.
Governance and Policy.
Another cultural challenge is the establishment of a governance mechanism for the EOSC. The oversight of the EOSC needs to be capable of supporting the definition, management and coordination of its many components without imposing a strict hierarchical model or supply chain. Working closely with key stakeholders, EOSCpilot proposed an organisational, operational and managerial framework for governance of the EOSC. Recognising that the System of Systems approach means that the EOSC will evolve and adapt over time, the framework is flexible so that it can align with many existing structures and services at disciplinary, national and international levels. EOSCpilot also contributed to the development of European open science policy and best practice in related areas.
