EOSC

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EOSC SRIA v1.3 (2024)

The EOSC SRIA v1.3 (2024) is Europe’s keystone document for a federated open-science environment. It positions EOSC as the data and compute infrastructure connecting all EU research and innovation ecosystems, embedding FAIR data principles, trusted access, and cross-domain interoperability.

For OPENVERSE, EOSC represents the “data layer” of the ecosystem — the enabler of reliable, reusable, and trustworthy data exchange across virtual worlds, AI systems, and digital twins. Engagement with EOSC’s working groups and integration of its FAIR and AAI frameworks would solidify OPENVERSE’s foundation for interoperability, governance, and credibility within the European data and innovation landscape.

Basic Identification

• Initiative / Partnership Name: European Open Science Cloud (EOSC Partnership)
• Full SRIDA Title & Version: Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) v1.3 (October 2024)
• Publication / Last Update Date: 31 October 2024
• Governing Body / Association: EOSC Association (AISBL) in collaboration with the European Commission and stakeholders via EOSC Steering Board
• Type: Co-programmed European Partnership under Horizon Europe (Cluster 4 – Digital, Industry & Space)
• Website / Source: 20241031_SRIA_1.3_final_Annex.pdf

Strategic Orientation

• Vision Statement: “To ensure that European researchers have a federated, open, and FAIR data ecosystem that supports trustworthy, data-intensive science and innovation.”
• Mission: Establish and operate the European Open Science Cloud as a trusted federated environment enabling cross-disciplinary data sharing, computing, and analytics services for research and innovation.
• Core Objectives:

1. Implement the EOSC Core and Exchange as the backbone for FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data access.
2. Foster interoperability between data spaces, research infrastructures, and digital twins of the Earth and society.
3. Promote sustainable governance and business models for long-term EOSC operations.
4. Drive capacity building and digital skills among researchers and data stewards.

• Expected Outcomes / KPIs:
  • 80% of European research outputs accessible through FAIR-compliant services by 2030.
  • 70 thematic and cross-disciplinary data spaces interoperable with EOSC.
  • Fully operational EOSC Core and Federated Identity Management framework by 2027.
• Policy Alignment: Horizon Europe Cluster 4 & Cluster 5; European Data Strategy; Digital Europe Programme (DEP); Open Data Directive; Data Governance Act; Artificial Intelligence Act (trustworthy data foundation).

Technological & Thematic Priorities

Domain	Focus / Actions (per SRIA v1.3)	Ref. / Source
FAIR Data & Interoperability	Implementation of FAIR-by-design principles; alignment with the Common European Data Spaces	Annex §2.1–2.2
Cloud–Edge–HPC Continuum	Federated compute and storage architectures; interoperability with EuroHPC JU	Annex §3.1
Data Federation & Trust Frameworks	EOSC Core: AAI (Authentication and Authorisation Infrastructure), PID services, catalogues	Annex §3.2–3.3
AI & Machine Learning Readiness	Trusted AI pipelines using EOSC data; AI-assisted FAIRification	Annex §3.4
Digital Twins & Simulation Environments	EOSC as the “data backbone” for initiatives such as Destination Earth (DestinE) and digital twins of the ocean, health, and heritage	Annex §3.5
Sustainability & Business Models	Long-term funding mechanisms and mixed governance model	Annex §4
Skills & Capacity Building	Data Stewardship Competence Framework and training networks	Annex §5

Governance & Ecosystem

• Leading Organisations: EOSC Association (over 250 members and mandated organisations); European Commission; Member States through the EOSC Steering Board.
• Stakeholder Groups: Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), Universities, National Data Services, HPC/Cloud providers, SMEs, and Policy bodies.
• Engagement Mechanisms:
  • EOSC Association Working Groups: Architecture, Rules of Participation, Metadata Interoperability, and Skills.
  • EOSC Future Projects: Implementation pilots linking to Horizon Europe clusters.
  • Public Consultations: Conducted annually to refine SRIA and Work Plans.
• Update Frequency: Updated approximately every 18–24 months (v1.0 in 2021 → v1.3 in 2024).
• Contact / Participation Info: Open membership through EOSC-A; collaboration via EOSC National Tripartite events and stakeholder forums.

Building-Block Crosswalk (EC Staff Working Document Alignment)

Technical Building Block	EOSC SRIA Emphasis
Data Spaces & Interoperability	Core of EOSC’s FAIR data federation
Cloud–Edge–HPC Continuum	Federated compute layer and access to EuroHPC resources
Digital Twins & Simulation	Destination Earth & other digital twin initiatives
AI & ML Integration	FAIR data pipelines for AI model training
Cybersecurity & Trust	EOSC AAI and policy frameworks for secure access
Standards & FAIR Principles	Interoperability via metadata and ontologies
Digital Identity & Authentication	Federated AAI for users and services
Skills & Education	EOSC Skills Programme & Competence Centres

Alignment with Virtual Worlds

Relevance to Virtual Worlds Domains

• EOSC provides the data backbone and interoperability standards essential for linking scientific and creative ecosystems.
• Its governance and AAI frameworks offer templates for federated identity and access control across OPENVERSE environments.
• Digital-twin initiatives (Earth, Ocean, Health) are natural testbeds for immersive representation and real-time analytics within virtual worlds.

SRIDA Document Metadata

• Keywords / Tags: FAIR data, open science, data spaces, digital twins, HPC, AI, interoperability, trust, skills.
• Referenced Horizon Europe Clusters: Cluster 4 (Digital, Industry & Space); links to Cluster 5 (Climate) and Cluster 1 (Health).
• TRL Ranges: TRL 6–9 (deployment of operational services).
• Investment Priorities: Shared infrastructure, federation tools, FAIRification processes, AAI systems, training programmes.
• Policy References: Digital Europe Programme; European Data Strategy; Open Data Directive; Artificial Intelligence Act; Data Governance Act.