Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Skills4EOSC (Skills for the European Open Science Commons: Creating a Training Ecosystem for Open and FAIR Science)
Reporting period: 2023-09-01 to 2024-08-31
Skills4EOSC brings together leading experiences of national, regional, institutional and thematic Open Science (OS) and Data Competence Centres from 18 European countries with the goal of unifying the current training landscape into a common and trusted pan-European ecosystem, in order to accelerate the upskilling of European researchers and data professionals in the field of FAIR and Open Data, intensive-data science and Scientific Data Management.
Competence Centres (CC) are seen as centres of gravity of OS and EOSC activities in their countries. These entities can either be established national initiatives (as is the case of ICDI in Italy) or initiatives under establishment (e.g. Austria, Greece and the Nordic countries) or organizations which have the leading or mandated contribution to the OS activities nationally. CCs pool the expertise available within research institutions, universities and thematic and cross-discipline research infrastructures. They offer training and support, empowerment, lifelong learning, professionalization and resources to a variety of stakeholders, including not only researchers and data stewards, but also funders, decision makers, civil servants, and industry.
Thanks to their position at the heart of the above described multi-stakeholder landscape, the CCs represented by the Skills4EOSC partners play a pivotal role in national plans for Open Science and in the interaction with scientific communities. They also have close access to policy makers and the related funding streams. The Skills4EOSC project will leverage this reference role to establish a pan-European network of CCs on OS and data, coordinating the work done at the national level to upskill professionals in this field.
The Skills4EOSC CC network will drive the co-creation of harmonised trainer accreditation pathways, academic and professional curricula and skills quality assurance, recognition frameworks, and learning material creation methodologies.
Competence Centres (CC) are seen as centres of gravity of OS and EOSC activities in their countries. These entities can either be established national initiatives (as is the case of ICDI in Italy) or initiatives under establishment (e.g. Austria, Greece and the Nordic countries) or organizations which have the leading or mandated contribution to the OS activities nationally. CCs pool the expertise available within research institutions, universities and thematic and cross-discipline research infrastructures. They offer training and support, empowerment, lifelong learning, professionalization and resources to a variety of stakeholders, including not only researchers and data stewards, but also funders, decision makers, civil servants, and industry.
Thanks to their position at the heart of the above described multi-stakeholder landscape, the CCs represented by the Skills4EOSC partners play a pivotal role in national plans for Open Science and in the interaction with scientific communities. They also have close access to policy makers and the related funding streams. The Skills4EOSC project will leverage this reference role to establish a pan-European network of CCs on OS and data, coordinating the work done at the national level to upskill professionals in this field.
The Skills4EOSC CC network will drive the co-creation of harmonised trainer accreditation pathways, academic and professional curricula and skills quality assurance, recognition frameworks, and learning material creation methodologies.
1. Competence Centre Network Development:
- A network of eight Competence Centres was established, with the network’s public launch on June 25, 2024.
- These centres support Master Trainers who disseminate skills and methodologies throughout their respective communities.
2. Learning Materials and Curricula Development:
- Developed tailored curricula using the "Minimum Viable Skillset" (MVS) methodology for various roles (e.g. data stewards, policymakers, civil servants, PhD students, and undergraduates).
- Piloted innovative training initiatives, including: "Open Licenses for Research Data, Software, and Software" for data professionals; "UC3M Ticket to Open Science" for PhD students, emphasizing research data management and ELSI considerations; Undergraduate courses on Open Science principles.
3. Recognition and Evaluation Frameworks:
- Delivered the first iteration of the Skills4EOSC Recognition Framework.
- Integrated digital credentials, including Open Badges and European Digital Credentials, to ensure the cross-border recognition of skills.
4. Community Building and Peer Learning:
- Expanded the network of data stewards and OS professionals across Europe.
- Enhanced peer-learning mechanisms, fostering collaboration and the sharing of best practices.
5. Policy Engagement:
- Delivered training and resources tailored for policymakers to incorporate Open Science practices into evidence-based decision-making.
6. Tools and Guidelines:
- Published an "Internal Guide for Effective Training Evaluation" to ensure continuous improvement of learning materials.
- Designed the FAIR-by-Design methodology to enhance the findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability of training resources.
- A network of eight Competence Centres was established, with the network’s public launch on June 25, 2024.
- These centres support Master Trainers who disseminate skills and methodologies throughout their respective communities.
2. Learning Materials and Curricula Development:
- Developed tailored curricula using the "Minimum Viable Skillset" (MVS) methodology for various roles (e.g. data stewards, policymakers, civil servants, PhD students, and undergraduates).
- Piloted innovative training initiatives, including: "Open Licenses for Research Data, Software, and Software" for data professionals; "UC3M Ticket to Open Science" for PhD students, emphasizing research data management and ELSI considerations; Undergraduate courses on Open Science principles.
3. Recognition and Evaluation Frameworks:
- Delivered the first iteration of the Skills4EOSC Recognition Framework.
- Integrated digital credentials, including Open Badges and European Digital Credentials, to ensure the cross-border recognition of skills.
4. Community Building and Peer Learning:
- Expanded the network of data stewards and OS professionals across Europe.
- Enhanced peer-learning mechanisms, fostering collaboration and the sharing of best practices.
5. Policy Engagement:
- Delivered training and resources tailored for policymakers to incorporate Open Science practices into evidence-based decision-making.
6. Tools and Guidelines:
- Published an "Internal Guide for Effective Training Evaluation" to ensure continuous improvement of learning materials.
- Designed the FAIR-by-Design methodology to enhance the findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability of training resources.
1. Integrated Training Ecosystem:
- Consolidated diverse training landscapes into a cohesive, trusted European ecosystem for Open Science skills development.
- Applied advanced methodologies like FAIR-by-Design and MVS to create interoperable and reusable learning materials.
2. Recognition Systems:
- Pioneered the use of flexible badging systems and began integrating European Digital Credentials, setting a benchmark for recognizing and validating skills in Open Science.
3. Quality Assurance Frameworks:
- Developed and tested an innovative quality assurance framework that ensures the lifecycle relevance and usability of OS learning materials.
- This framework is a major contribution to the standardization of training resources in the field.
4. Open Science Integration in Education:
- Piloted the inclusion of "Open Science Essentials" in undergraduate and PhD curricula.
- Designed training modules that address evolving ethical, legal, and societal challenges in the digital age.
5. Evidence-Based Policy Training:
- Enhanced policymakers' capacity to utilize Open Science outputs effectively through targeted training modules.
- Consolidated diverse training landscapes into a cohesive, trusted European ecosystem for Open Science skills development.
- Applied advanced methodologies like FAIR-by-Design and MVS to create interoperable and reusable learning materials.
2. Recognition Systems:
- Pioneered the use of flexible badging systems and began integrating European Digital Credentials, setting a benchmark for recognizing and validating skills in Open Science.
3. Quality Assurance Frameworks:
- Developed and tested an innovative quality assurance framework that ensures the lifecycle relevance and usability of OS learning materials.
- This framework is a major contribution to the standardization of training resources in the field.
4. Open Science Integration in Education:
- Piloted the inclusion of "Open Science Essentials" in undergraduate and PhD curricula.
- Designed training modules that address evolving ethical, legal, and societal challenges in the digital age.
5. Evidence-Based Policy Training:
- Enhanced policymakers' capacity to utilize Open Science outputs effectively through targeted training modules.