From January 20–23, 2025, the second EOSC Association Winter School took place in Seville, Spain, focusing on the emerging federation of EOSC Nodes. With more than 150 participants from seven thematic areas and a broad range of interactive discussions, the event served as a key venue for knowledge exchange and fostering collaboration. Key topics included interoperability, funding, and sustainability of the EOSC federation, as well as the role of research infrastructures and service providers. Attendees appreciated not only the expert program but also the informal networking opportunities and the chance to meet representatives from across the EOSC ecosystem in person.
One of the most debated topics was the governance of the EOSC federation, its sustainability, and funding models. Representatives from various countries shared their experiences and proposals for future cooperation models. There was a consensus on the need to strengthen support for service providers and establish clear rules for federated services.
The Czech Republic was represented by eight experts who actively engaged in discussions and thematic sessions. Their contributions focused on FAIR approaches, strategic pillars of EOSC, interoperability, and the sustainability of the federation. Special emphasis was placed on linking various projects funded under the European framework program Horizon Europe and ensuring the long-term sustainability of their outcomes. Participants also agreed that the in-person meeting contributed to a deeper understanding of current challenges and the formation of new partnerships within the EOSC initiative.
"The Winter School offers a unique insight into the functioning of EOSC and allows you to influence its future direction. The most valuable part, in my opinion, were the discussions, where experiences and insights from other projects and practical implementations were frequently shared. Many of these takeaways will be useful for the National Repository Platform (NRP) project in the Czech Republic. The diversity of experiences, expertise, and professional backgrounds significantly shaped the event’s atmosphere and demonstrated the complexity of the EOSC landscape," summarized Ilona Trtíková, a member of the European EOSC working group on FAIR Metrics and Digital Objects.
EOSC Winter School 2025 once again demonstrated that in-person meetings and intensive knowledge exchange are irreplaceable for effective collaboration and the development of the EOSC federation. The Czech delegation is already looking forward to the third edition in 2026.
Other Czech representatives included Marek Cebecauer, Jan Pavlíček, Miroslav Ruda, and Lukáš Vojáček.
The European project TEHDAS2 has launched a public consultation on the first four draft guidelines and technical specifications, focusing on harmonizing and processing health data for secondary used processing health data for so-called secondary use.
The Czech data steward community met online on February 4 to discuss key updates, including the release of the Beginner’s Guide for Data Stewards, an ongoing campaign, and an open survey on the use of AI tools in practice.
