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EOSC Interoperability Framework: Latest developments

November 8, 2022

What does interoperability look like in the context of the EOSC ecosystem? The EOSC Interoperability Framework (EOSC-IF) promises a set of policies and guidelines for an EOSC architecture that operates seamlessly across scientific communities. Stated simply, the EOSC-IF will be the ‘glue’ that connects and facilitates the integration of products and services available on the EOSC platform.

You might be familiar with the concept of interoperability, its associations in your field, but as we take EOSC into the operational phase, we want to take inventory on one of EOSC’s core functionalities. Read more on the developments surrounding the EOSC-IF in the last few months, along with next steps.

A framework that speaks to the community

In March and April 2022, we invited funders, policy makers, research communities, research infrastructures, e-infrastructures and other stakeholders from all over Europe to participate in a public consultation on the draft framework.

Consultation feedback proved to be enlightening on a variety of points:

  • over 35% see the necessity of the EOSC-IF
  • a majority expect the EOSC-IF approach to be of good to high value for their respective research communities
  • 64.7% expressed interest in joining a group of experts selected to govern the EOSC-IF
  • 58.8% agree that the next step is to publish the process for proposing, consulting and ratifying guidelines.

Participants also gave feedback on the required level of information on the guidelines as well as the need to provide more specific examples of interoperability, and suggestions for collaboration with other initiatives working on community interoperability.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the consultation. For a more in-depth view, the March webinar on the consultation can be viewed here, or you can also visit the EOSC portal for more information on the EOSC-IF.

Check out our infographic for information on consultation results:

Next steps: Reframing the framework

Currently, efforts to set up the EOSC-IF focus on:

  • testing governance structures set up in June 2022 (i.e. the EOSC Interoperability Advisory Board, the EOSC Interoperability Area Chairs, the EOSC-IF Editorial Board)
  • using consultation feedback to adjust the initially proposed course of ratification
  • initiating a plan to deliver a registry for interoperability guidelines (the EOSC-IF registry).

Updates: Where and when to find out more

Next week, the EOSC-IF will be front and centre at EOSC Symposium 2022. During the main annual EOSC event, there will be a live-streamed plenary on interoperability (16 Wednesday, 09.00 CET). For those of you who will be in Prague for the event, you can also join us on Wednesday at 16.30 CET for a session on ‘Implementing the EOSC Interoperability Framework’. Check out the final programme for more information.

Later in November, we will be hosting a webinar on a new open call from the Research Data Alliance (RDA): Interoperability Framework Contributions. The call, which will be the focus of the event, is open to proposals that can demonstrate practical use cases involving the EOSC-IF.

In the meantime, check out useful links to project updates involving the EOSC-IF, along with background information on how to access and contribute guidelines to the framework:

https://eosc-portal.eu/eosc-interoperability-framework