SoBigData++ aimed to establish a distributed, pan-European research infrastructure for big social data analytics while fostering a multidisciplinary research community. Throughout the SoBigData++ project, the research infrastructure has substantially enhanced its services and infrastructure to serve its diverse user community better. One key improvement is the SoBigData e-infrastructure, which has evolved into a dynamic platform for designing and executing complex social mining processes. The suite of analytical tools the research infrastructure offers during the SoBigData++ project has greatly expanded. The project’s online Catalogue now hosts a wealth of new high-quality datasets, algorithms, and ready-to-use methods contributed by the consortium’s research efforts. The e-infrastructure also improved the computational capabilities within the SoBigData Lab, where researchers can seamlessly tap into cloud resources through SoBigData++, allowing them to run large-scale analyses and complex models. Together, these improvements provide a more powerful, versatile ecosystem for big data research on social challenges. Another significant improvement is the training service, which evolved from a repository of materials to a more integrated and homogenous platform called SoBigData Academy, which was designed and implemented by a joint effort between a learning designer and SoBigData researchers, resulting in high-quality courses for the final user. The development of those services always included a strict collaboration with SoBigData Ethical and Legal experts to include the EU Ethical, Legal, Social, Economic, and Cultural (ELSEC) values, as well as following the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) and FACT (Fair, Accurate, Confidential, and Transparent) principles.
The platform is now designed to be accessible even to domain experts outside of computer science (e.g. social scientists, economists, health researchers, and others who may not be data scientists) so they can leverage advanced big data techniques in their work. This inclusive approach has fostered a vibrant community where scientists from various fields, policymakers in public institutions, and industry stakeholders can collaborate and innovate on the platform, providing a common ground and shared resources. In doing so, the project has advanced the state of big data research in Europe, establishing itself as a resource that drives scientific excellence and collaborative innovation.
