Periodic Reporting for period 1 - DANUBIUS IP (DANUBIUS Implementation Phase Project - DANUBIUS-IP)
Reporting period: 2022-10-01 to 2023-09-30
DANUBIUS-RI will offer a pan-European Research Infrastructure (RI) to support Research and Innovation (R&I) needed to achieve healthy River-Sea Systems: enabling state-of-the-art, holistic, R&I from river source to sea and providing integrated knowledge to manage River-Sea Systems, using a source-to-sea perspective to understand their evolution and functioning. It will offer services integrating capabilities from: remote and in-situ observation platforms, experimental facilities, laboratories, modelling tools and resources for Knowledge Exchange along the river source to sea continuum. DANUBIUS-RI comprises components (Hub, Data Centre, Nodes, Supersites (living labs), e-Learning Office and Technology Transfer Office) distributed across Europe. DANUBIUS-ERIC (under development) will be the legal entity providing the governance framework to coordinate, manage and communicate the work of the RI. Rivers and seas provide fundamental ecosystem services to society. However, their conservation and restoration are essential to achieve the UN 2030 SDGs: management of both fresh- and marine waters is central to sustainable development (SDGs 6, 14) and climate action and adaptation are critical to mitigating the impacts of extreme events such as floods and droughts.
The overall goal is to ensure the successful initiation of DANUBIUS-ERIC and enable DANUBIUS-RI to proceed to the Operational Phase. The Specific Objectives (SO) of DANUBIUS-IP will be met through WP 1-7 and the associated Work Tasks and Deliverables.
SO1. Ensure the successful initiation of DANUBIUS-ERIC
SO2. Develop and enhance the DANUBIUS-RI ICT potential.
SO3. Demonstrate the DANUBIUS-RI value proposition
SO4. Offer successful access to selected DANUBIUS-RI facilities and services
SO5. Enlarge the DANUBIUS-RI community
SO6. Enhance the visibility of DANUBIUS-RI to increase its social and economic impact.
The overall goal is to ensure the successful initiation of DANUBIUS-ERIC and enable DANUBIUS-RI to proceed to the Operational Phase. The Specific Objectives (SO) of DANUBIUS-IP will be met through WP 1-7 and the associated Work Tasks and Deliverables.
SO1. Ensure the successful initiation of DANUBIUS-ERIC
SO2. Develop and enhance the DANUBIUS-RI ICT potential.
SO3. Demonstrate the DANUBIUS-RI value proposition
SO4. Offer successful access to selected DANUBIUS-RI facilities and services
SO5. Enlarge the DANUBIUS-RI community
SO6. Enhance the visibility of DANUBIUS-RI to increase its social and economic impact.
The project managed the 3 meetings of the Board of Government Representatives held during RP1, preparing for the official launch of the ERIC and for the one in November 2023. The Step 2 ERIC documentation was not yet submitted since The BGR decided the Step 2 documentation should await 6 letters of commitment (only Romania, Czech Republic, Italy, Moldova, Netherlands so far). Rules and procedures have been prepared for the selection of the Interim Director General, Director General, senior staff and committees of the ERIC, awaiting the first General Assembly to be approved. A model Service Level Agreement (SLA) was made available to all partners and a first example was finalised for the Po Delta – North Adriatic Lagoons Supersite as best practice. Other SLAs with components from countries that already signed the financial commitment letters will be signed when the ERIC is in place. A new Call for components was launched in June 2023 (after March decision of the BGR). A new business model is being made, due to recent major global changes.
Numerous actions were taken to strengthen Data aspects and create the first Data Portal. Based on the outcomes of the H2020 ENVRI FAIR Project, significant progress was made in engaging with all components for the establishment of interoperability (also with other RIs), collaboration with EOSC, and in updating the Data Policy and Data Management Plan.
The Science and Innovation Agenda was updated to the current challenges of the Horizon Europe Framework Programme Missions. A set of Scientific Questions to be addressed by DANUBIUS-RI services was set. A list of services was created from the ones already operational and those under development and/or planned for enhancement. A roadmap was created to plan proper and coherent development of new services, with identified gaps to be filled in the following years.
The consortium selected one scientific question as topic of the first Test Call to the scientific community.
To enlarge the DANUBIUS-RI Community and strengthen the position of DANUBIUS-RI within the European and international RI Landscape, there are collaborations with other ESFRI RIs and Landmarks and H2020 DOORSplus bilateral and multilateral contacts at national level in several consortium countries.
Interactions are also undergoing with European initiatives (such as Water4All) and global programmes (MegaDelta Programme, Global Coast Experiment).
A brochure was designed to ease interaction with the various communities of users.
Dissemination and communication activities have also been intense following the Plan created in the first period of the project. The interaction with the different stakeholder categories was based on the creation of the DANUBIUS-IP website, brand and supporting materials including posters, brochure and pop-up banners. These supported developing a strong presence and engagement in social media, written articles and news, our first newsletter and various photography and video outputs.
Numerous actions were taken to strengthen Data aspects and create the first Data Portal. Based on the outcomes of the H2020 ENVRI FAIR Project, significant progress was made in engaging with all components for the establishment of interoperability (also with other RIs), collaboration with EOSC, and in updating the Data Policy and Data Management Plan.
The Science and Innovation Agenda was updated to the current challenges of the Horizon Europe Framework Programme Missions. A set of Scientific Questions to be addressed by DANUBIUS-RI services was set. A list of services was created from the ones already operational and those under development and/or planned for enhancement. A roadmap was created to plan proper and coherent development of new services, with identified gaps to be filled in the following years.
The consortium selected one scientific question as topic of the first Test Call to the scientific community.
To enlarge the DANUBIUS-RI Community and strengthen the position of DANUBIUS-RI within the European and international RI Landscape, there are collaborations with other ESFRI RIs and Landmarks and H2020 DOORSplus bilateral and multilateral contacts at national level in several consortium countries.
Interactions are also undergoing with European initiatives (such as Water4All) and global programmes (MegaDelta Programme, Global Coast Experiment).
A brochure was designed to ease interaction with the various communities of users.
Dissemination and communication activities have also been intense following the Plan created in the first period of the project. The interaction with the different stakeholder categories was based on the creation of the DANUBIUS-IP website, brand and supporting materials including posters, brochure and pop-up banners. These supported developing a strong presence and engagement in social media, written articles and news, our first newsletter and various photography and video outputs.
All activities perfomed in Year 1 of the project have been dedicated to create a functional and successful DANUBIUS-ERIC, with a clear specificity and well integrated within the European Landscape of Research Infrastructures. Efforts for an RI with Open and FAIR Data services interoperable with other RIs (as well as internally, between all components) have been ongoing, with a first test of the Data Portal and connections with the EOSC initiative. The DANUBIUS Community has its own Zenodo space. The project has supported the Board of Government Representatives as main governing body of DANUBIUS-RI, and continues to do so also when the ERIC will be in place, to secure a smooth start of operations. Permanent activities in the countries has been demonstrated by the investments in national components and communities for DANUBIUS-RI (CZ, IT, NL, RO, UK).
The Science and Innovation Agenda was updated and aligned with the major European initiatives in the field, the components` services (operational and under development / upgrading) have also been listed and a roadmap to fill the gaps (scientific questions not properly covered by services) was drawn. The first ever call offering DANUBIUS-RI services to the scientific community was launched, testing our (as yet theoretical) capabilities. Connections with other RIs have been continuous, as well as the interaction with major European Water4All) and international 9MegaDelta Programme) initiatives, increasing thus the visibility of DANUBIUS-RI.
The Science and Innovation Agenda was updated and aligned with the major European initiatives in the field, the components` services (operational and under development / upgrading) have also been listed and a roadmap to fill the gaps (scientific questions not properly covered by services) was drawn. The first ever call offering DANUBIUS-RI services to the scientific community was launched, testing our (as yet theoretical) capabilities. Connections with other RIs have been continuous, as well as the interaction with major European Water4All) and international 9MegaDelta Programme) initiatives, increasing thus the visibility of DANUBIUS-RI.