FAIRCORE4EOSC

Mission

The European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) is an ecosystem of research data and related services that will enable and enhance seamless access to and reliable re-use of FAIR research objects (including data, publications, software, etc.). The Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for EOSC was created in 2021, as a roadmap for future development. Priorities highlighted in the SRIA are the establishment of the Web of FAIR data and a Minimum Viable EOSC (MVE) by 2027, that is the core components and functions to enable EOSC to operate (the EOSC-Core).

The FAIRCORE4EOSC (FAIRCORE for EOSC) and BioDT (Biodiversity Digital Twin) projects signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) in May 2023, signifying a strategic alliance to enhance cooperation in biodiversity research. This collaboration capitalises on the strengths of both initiatives to propel open science advancements within the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC).

The FC4E and BioDT synergy focuses on optimising data management and exchange practices within the EOSC framework to bolster biodiversity research. This collaboration entails:

• Adoption of MSCR: BioDT leverages the Metadata Schema and Crosswalk Registry (MSCR) developed by FAIRCORE4EOSC. This facilitates the creation of crosswalks between Data Catalogue Vocabulary (DCAT) 3.0 and Ecological Metadata language schema (EML).
• Enhanced Data Exchange: The MSCR enables the exchange of metadata between diverse catalogues of biodiversity data, promoting interoperability.
• Shared Expertise: The collaboration fosters joint exploration and sharing of expertise between BioDT and FAIRCORE4EOSC on common challenges.
• Community Engagement: Both projects recognise the importance of fostering a collaborative environment. They partner on stakeholder engagement, training, and outreach activities to reach diverse audiences and propagate best practices within the scientific community.

A pivotal example of this collaboration was their joint session at the EOSC Symposium 2023. This session, entitled “Digital twins and EOSC – Advancing data-driven science through optimal data use, data management, computing and research infrastructures. Insights from BioDT”, highlighted the contributions of both projects to the EOSC landscape and explored the potential benefits of integrating their platforms within the EOSC infrastructure.

 

“The collaboration with FC4E has been beneficial for the BioDT on multiple levels but particularly in regard to the adoption of the Metadata Schema and Crosswalk Registry (MSCR) developed by FAIRCORE4EOSC. BioDT is leveraging the MSCR to create crosswalks between Data Catalogue Vocabulary (DCAT) 3.0 and Ecological Metadata language schema (EML), facilitating the exchange of metadata between diverse catalogues of biodiversity data. Additionally, the collaboration enables a joint exploration and sharing of expertise between BioDT and FAIRCORE4EOSC on common challenges related to data quality, workflows, interoperability but also community-level challenges, engagement and training."  say Jesse Harrison, BioDT Project Coordinator and Hanna Koivula, Senior RDM Specialist.