Digital Agenda

A New Platform for eScience and data research into the European

Ecosystem.

Iconference

Wim JanseneInfrastructureDG CONNECT

European Commission

Digital Agenda

••• 2Wim Jansen

European Commission - DG INFSOUnit “GÉANT and e-Infrastructure”

1. eInfrastructure Policy Forum e-IPF 2011-2013

5 meetings

The 'ecosystem': some facts

••• 3

Context• Commission Expert Group• Light structure• Informal• Temporary

Objective• Forum for discussion and information exchange

to • align national and EU policies and initiatives • enhance co-operation between national and EU funded

e-Infrastructures and stakeholders

Terms of Reference 1/3

••• 4

Membership limited to:

• Senior Officials from ministries or funding agencies (policy makers and public budget managers)

• EU Member States

• Countries associated to the Framework Programme (eventually)

• Commission (chair)

Terms of Reference 2/3

••• 5

Members should:

• Devote sufficient time

• Establish internal communication channels

• Cross-link with national position in eIRG and ESFRI

Also:

• Commission will provide secretarial support (secretary)

• support from eInfranet or other project possible

Terms of Reference 3/3

••• 6

Rules of Procedure• Frequency: 2 meetings a year

• Consensus oriented

• One vote per MS (but no much voting expected)

• No legally binding decisions or recommendations

• Summary report with conclusions and proposed actions

• Attendance by experts and observers possible

• observers: eIRG? ESFRI?

• Conflict of interest: to be reported

••• 7

eIPF: Relations with eIRG and ESFRI

• eIPF was Commission expert group

• Discussion forum on e-Infrastructure policy issues between ministry delegates/funding agencies and Commission

• eIPF is not intended to replace eIRG or affect its relationship with ESFRI

• eIPF activities are complemetary to eIRG, creating additional leverage for e-Infrastructure policies

••• 8

eIPF: Relations with eIRG and ESFRIServices, priorities

Needs

Support?

Exp

ertis

e

Digital Agenda

••• 9Wim Jansen

European Commission - DG INFSOUnit “GÉANT and e-Infrastructure”

1. eInfrastructure Policy Forum e-IPF 2011-2013

5 meetings

2 eINFRANET. European Network for

co-ordination of policies and programmes on e-

infrastructures (FP7 project 39 Months 2m€)

The 'ecosystem': some facts

• Identify existing programmes

• Analyse the programmes and policies

• Provide a platform for debating

• Exchange strategic views

• Prepare and implement joint policy activities

• Joint policy programmes and calls

10

Project Objectives

e-InfraNet: European network for co-ordination of policies and programmes on e-infrastructures3 May 2011

• Closer coordinated national policies

• European policies in line with the needs of member states

• More competitive presence and closer collaboration on an international level

• Development of common protocols that will allow interoperability of e-Infrastructures throughout Europe

• The national support programmes will learn from each other about best practices etc.

Benefits

Partners

• The project consists of key representatives from ministries and funding agencies in nine European countries

Current Partners

3 May 2011

e-InfraNet: European network for co-ordination of policies and programmes on e-infrastructures

Organisation Country

Higher Education Authority Ireland

Joint Information Systems Committee United Kingdom

SURFfoundation Netherlands

Foundation for Science and Technology Portugal

Latvian Academy of Sciences Latvia

Ministry of Science and Innovation Spain

IT Centre for Science Finland

National Information Infrastructure Hungary

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey

Turkey

Focus Areas

Cloud Computing dynamically scalable and often virtualized

resources

Environmental & Green Computing Environmentally sustainable computing or ICT

ICT worldwide is responsible for 2% of global CO2 production!

Openness Open Access, Open Source, Open Borders and

Open Opportunity

Research Data Access

Digital Agenda

1. eInfrastructure Policy Forum e-IPF 2011-2013

(5 meetings)

2 eINFRANET. European Network for

co-ordination of policies and programmes on e-

infrastructures (FP7 project 42 Months 2m€

1/1/2010-30/6/2014)

3 Digital ERA forum 2013- ..

The 'ecosystem': some facts

DG Connect Reorganisation june 2013: New unit created: Digital Science. Policy unit in charge of ERA communication

• EC Communication COM(2012) 392 final: "A Reinforced European Research Area partnership for Excellence and Growth"

• Adopted on 17 July together with the Scientific Information Package: • Commission Communication: "Towards better access to scientific

information: Boosting the benefits of public investments in research" (COM(2012) 401)

• Commission Recommendation on access to and preservation of scientific information (C(2012) 4890)

• Five key priorities in the ERA Communication: • More effective national research systems

• Optimal transnational co-operation and competition

• An open labour market for researchers

• Gender equality and gender mainstreaming in research

• Optimal circulation, access to and transfer of scientific knowledge including via Digital ERA

Digital dimension of ERA – the enabler of future ways of research

Most knowledge creation and transfer use digital means

All barriers preventing seamless online access to digital research services for collaboration, computing and accessing scientific information should be removed

Digital ERA is this seamless online space for the circulation of knowledge and technology enabled by e-infrastructures

The objective of Digital ERA is to make it possible that all researchers in Europe could benefit from Digital science

ERA Com actions on Digital ERA (1):

Support provision of e-infrastructure for all researchers

COM actions• EC: Work with e-IRG to promote the alignment of EU and national

approaches to e-infrastructure development.

• MS: Harmonise access and usage policies for research and education-related public e-infrastructures and for associated digital research services enabling consortia of different types of public and private partners

Expected related outcomes E-IRG task force report on legal issues (2013)

Study report on policy options for aligning EU and national e-infrastructures policies on e-infrastructures provision and use (2014)

ERA Com actions on Digital ERA (2):

Improve seamless access to digital research services

COM actions• MS: Adopt and implement national strategies for electronic

identity for researchers giving them transnational access to digital research services

• SHO: Implement and promote the uptake of electronic identity and digital research services

Expected related outcomes Study on AAA infrastructure (federated identity) (2012)

Launching a large scale pilot of implementing federated identity services (2014)

ERA Com actions on Digital ERA (3):

Support uptake of e-infrastructures and digital research services

COM actions• EC: Propose a roadmap for e-infrastructure development to support e-

Science through open access to research tools and resources.

• EC: Support activities to raise stakeholder awareness of open access and e-science

• EC: Facilitate a Member State forum for regular exchange and reporting on national developments on the provision, take-up and use of digital research services

Expected related outcomes Framework for action on Data infrastructures for Open Science (2013)

Digital science support in Horizon 2020 through specific actions and cross-cutting measures (2014)

Joint statement of a MS forum on the status of Digital ERA and recommendations (2014)

The suggested role for e-IPF

Take up the role of the "Member State forum for regular exchange and reporting on national developments on the provision, take-up and use of digital research services"

This would require

Revising the ToR to include these tasks

Revising the forum name to reflect the new scope

Ensuring representativeness of the delegates

Revising the meeting schedule to provide input for ERAC in the context of ERA process

Systematic inclusion of Digital ERA action followup in MS to the forum meetings

Plan-E

New professions and skills for e-infrastructures

New professions and skills for e-infrastructures

Coordination and Support Action

HOW TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN

SCIENCE AND ICT?

ScientistsICT professionals

E-infrastructure operatorsData scientists

Research technologists

Call 4 Topic 4:New professions and skills for e-infrastructures: Challenges

Specific Challenges:

• Researchers, university professors and students need adequatesupport in computing and networking, as well as in handling, analysing and storing large amounts of digital content.

• Education programmes for the emerging professions of e-infrastructure operators, research technologists, data scientists or 'data librarians' need to be defined and developed

• Professional recognition of these communities and the development of appropriate curricula, training and skills are crucial to ensure effective services to institution staff and students.

• Wider opportunities for training of these communities need to be offered

NEW PROFESSIONS

AND SKILLS

FOR E-INFRASTRUCTURES

Call 4 Topic 4:New professions and skills for e-infrastructures: Challenges

Scope:

• Defining/updating a university curricula for e-infrastructure

• Training programmes for e-infrastructure professionals

• Establishment of these professions as distinct professions

• Networking and information sharing among e-infrastructure operators

• Awareness raising and promotion of e-infrastructures community champions

NEW PROFESSIONS

AND SKILLS

FOR E-INFRASTRUCTURES

Call 4 Topic 4:New professions and skills for e-infrastructures: Challenges

Impact:

• The number of education institutions offering degrees for e-infrastructure experts, research technologists, data scientists and data librarians should increase.

• Graduates and practitioners in these fields should gain access to degrees, programmes, information sharing tools and training opportunities to improve their skills.

• The number of individuals able to design, develop and maintain e-science tools and services as well as to support researchers with computational and data expertise, should increase significantly.

NEW PROFESSIONS

AND SKILLS

FOR E-INFRASTRUCTURES