Mini-projects, as one of the important outcomes of the Open Science II project, represent a set of activities that engage a broader target audience, particularly research communities, in activities necessary for the operation of the National Data Infrastructure (NDI). Key focus areas for mini-projects include the FAIRification of research data, metadata, and repositories, ensuring system standardization and compatibility, and integrating various data technologies.
The application for the mini-project includes a Statement from the relevant EOSC CZ Working Group (WG), which confirms, on the basis of its expertise, that the planned output(s) of the mini-project is/are related to the outputs and/or activities of the Open Science II project and substantially extends/complements the outputs and/or activities of the project, or that the planned output(s) is/are necessary to ensure a data-driven research environment on the part of the mini-framework applicant.
How to Request a Statement
The request for an EOSC CZ WG statement must be submitted by the applicant via email to info@eosc.cz with the subject line: "Request for EOSC CZ WG Statement: [Name of the relevant EOSC CZ WG, multiple WGs can be listed]".
For the pilot mini-project call, the request must be submitted by midnight on 4 April 2025.
If an applicant plans to generate multiple outputs within a single mini-project, they must submit a separate request for each planned output and compile these requests into a single document.
Mini-Project Review Timeline
EOSC CZ Working Groups will meet during each mini-project call round to discuss the submitted applications.
| Working Group |
Pilot call |
| Bio/Health/Food | TBC |
| Sensitive Data | April 1, 2025 |
| Data Management for AI & Machine Learning | TBC |
| Environmental Sciences | TBC |
| Physical Sciences | TBC |
| Humanities & the Arts | March 21, 2025 |
| Material Sciences & Engineering | April 8, 2025 |
| Social Sciences | March 11, 2025 |
Procedure for Issuing an EOSC CZ WG Statement on Mini-Projects
The relevant EOSC CZ Working Group confirms that the proposed mini project output(s):
- Significantly contribute to the Open Science II project activities or are essential for establishing a data-driven research environment for the applicant.
- Align with a defined output type from the Output Catalogue.
- Meet the NDI requirements.
Only EOSC WG members who fulfill these criteria are eligible to vote about the Statement:
- They are active working group members at the request deadline.
- They are not affiliated with the institution submitting the mini-project application (for CAS, this means they are not from the same institute as the applicant).
- They have no declared conflict of interest.
The assessment must take place after the close of the collection of applications for the statement, i.e. from 4 April 2025, and the assessment must be closed no later than 25 April 2025 in order for the WG statement to accompany the mini-project application. The start of the assessment is chosen as agreed by the specific working group. Eligible EOSC CZ WG members may vote about the Satement for a period of 3 calendar days.
For the statement to be valid, at least 30% of eligible EOSC CZ WG members must participate in the assessment. The decision will be based on a majority vote among the eligible members.
If fewer than 30% of eligible members participate in the vote, a second-round vote will be held. If the mini project fails to secure a valid positive statement in the second round, the statement will be considered negative for the given mini-project call cycle. If a mini-project contains multiple outputs, the WG has to vote about each output individually.
The EOSC CZ WG statement for a specific mini-project will be confirmed by the WG secretary, who will oversee the proper execution of the evaluation process.
The applicant will receive the Statement from the relevant EOSC CZ WG within one month after the deadline for submitting requests. For the pilot call, deadlines are shortened due to the limited call duration.
When submitting a mini-project application to "IS Věda", the applicant attaches a Statement of the relevant WG and also the Request for an EOSC WG statement, on which the Statement is based.
Applicants are strongly advised that all information and data regarding the planned mini-project outputs, as provided in the mini-project application in “IS Věda,” must be 100% identical to the information and data stated in the Request for an EOSC CZ WG Statement.
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact us at info@eosc.cz.
More information can be found on the Open Science II project coordinator's website.