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OSCER

The Open Science Commons Executives’ Roundtable

Preamble

There is already a strong commitment from the various national and regional Open Science Clouds and Commons (OSCs) to collaborate in practice towards optimal global interoperability and reuse of data and services for the benefit of Open Science. At the CODATA-GO FAIR co-organised FAIR Convergence Symposium the executives of a number of initiatives committed efforts to facilitate cooperation and alignment and a vision of a ‘lightweight’, OSCs Executives’ Roundtable (OSCER) emerged.

This vision comprises two complementary elements:

  • A forum for the exchange of views, cooperation on strategy and refining the value proposition of these initiatives.
  • A coordination mechanism which will facilitate the collective work of the OSCs towards Open Science and the implementation of the FAIR principles, and ultimately the Internet of FAIR Data and Services.

Proposed operations

The OSCER would meet at regular intervals (virtually) to exchange views, review progress towards Open Science and the implementation of the FAIR principles, and in particular towards alignment and interoperability among the OSCs, with the ultimate aim of converging towards a globally interoperable Web of FAIR Data and Services. Annual in-person summits/meetings aligned with timing of key events of the research data community may be established.

Outcomes of the meetings would be ‘published’ and will serve as public statements about key decisions and affirmative actions towards the adoption of common protocols, standards and approaches with the aim to secure inter-regional as well as interdisciplinary interoperability. The Roundtable would also help deliver on the calls contained in the (draft) UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science.

It is proposed that the OSCER should work with the Data Together (RDA, CODATA, GO FAIR, WDS) organisations and with their Open Science Cloud and Commons activities.

For example, the OSCER will be invited to act as an advisory group to the GOSC (Global Open Science Cloud) initiative, which aims to facilitate cooperation, alignment and interoperability between OSCs (and is being launched with initial project funding from the Chinese Academy of Sciences). Nevertheless, it is proposed that the OSCER should be independent in its role and act as a group that ‘leads by example’ among the engaged organisations and the wider community, rather than becoming a top down standard-setting body.

OSCER is intended as a small group but may consult broader representation of stakeholders that co-decide on implementation in the individual OSCs. Representatives from ‘industry’ will be engaged upon agreement of the OSCER members.

Membership

Conveners

  • Jean-Claude Burgelman (independent), BE, M, Chair
  • George Strawn (independent), USA, M, Vice Chair.
  • Secretariat: Hana Pergl, CODATA, CZ, F.

OSC Executives

  • EOSC (European Open Science Cloud): Karel Luyben, Chair of EOSC Association Board, NL, M.
  • CSTCloud (China Science and Technology Cloud): Jianhui LI,  CAS CNIC (Centre for Networked Information and Computing, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Director, CN, M.
  • AOSP (African Open Science Platform): Tshiamo Motshegwa, Executive Director, BW, M.
  • ARDC (Australian Research Data Commons): Rosie Hicks, CEO, AU, F.
  • DRAC (Digital Research Alliance of Canada): Mark Leggott, Director of International Relations, CA, M.
  • MOSP (Malaysian Open Science Platform): Noorsaadah Abd. Rahman, Chair, MOSP, MY, F.
  • LA Referencia: Washington Segundo, BR, M.

Observer (OSC not yet established)

  • US: Bob Hanisch (NIST), M.

Observers Data Together

  • CODATA: Simon Hodson, Executive Director, UK, M.
  • GO FAIR: Barend Mons, NL, M.
  • RDA: Hilary Hanahoe, Secretary General, IE, F.
  • WDS: Karen Payne, Director WDS International Technology Office, CA, F.