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Dear readers,
After a summer break, we are back with an issue that has one foot still in summer, while the other is already stepping into a busy autumn. We look back at the developments in the Czech and European EOSC landscape over the past few months, while also looking ahead to where the next steps may lead.
In this issue, we explore the future of EOSC beyond 2027 and the journey of the EOSC Node Czechia towards the EOSC Federation, as well as new challenges and opportunities coming into focus with the start of the new academic year. Education is also returning to the autumn programme, which is why we bring you a selection of training courses, invitations to interesting events, and a practical look at Jupyter Notebooks. A broader perspective is offered by topics including open publishing, the future of Open Science, and the question of how much AI really costs us – and what we gain in return.
We wish you an enjoyable read and a lovely rest of the summer.
The EOSC CZ Team
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If you have ideas that could improve the way research data are managed, here is another opportunity to put them into practice. Charles University is preparing an Open Science II mini-proposal call that will support concrete solutions designed to make it easier for researchers to work with data and help develop data-oriented environments across disciplines and institutions. The call will be launched on 1 September, but you can already request a statement from the relevant EOSC working group, with a deadline of 23 September 2026.
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The call website currently features the presentations and answers to questions from both seminars that have taken place. You can also follow the current number of applications submitted, along with the anticipated use of the allocated funding.
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What makes it difficult for research data to be used in the long term? The EOSC EDEN project is seeking answers directly from those who work with research data or are responsible for managing them. Take part in the anonymous survey and share your experience to help identify ways to improve the long-term stewardship of research data. The questionnaire is open until 31 August.
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Where will EOSC go in the years ahead? The thirteenth General Assembly of the EOSC Association outlined the direction of future funding and the operation of the EOSC Federation, as well as the issues that are already pressing today – from the needs of research communities to the actual uptake of EOSC services.
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The Czech EOSC Node is moving another step closer to the heart of European developments. The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding paves the way for the EOSC Node Czechia, built on the services of the national e-INFRA CZ e-infrastructure, to become a full member of the EOSC Federation. Once the agreement is confirmed, Czech representatives will join the working groups with voting rights, allowing them to play a direct role in shaping the future direction of EOSC in Europe.
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The EOSC CZ Summer Networking event in Ústí nad Labem demonstrated that research data management can gradually become an integral part of a university’s strategy. The event showcased EOSC CZ services, the opportunities offered by e-INFRA CZ, and the development of Open Science support at UJEP. Discussions also focused on the establishment of a Data Management Centre, new data steward positions, and greater involvement of the humanities and social sciences.
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What if neither the reader nor the author had to pay for a scientific article? That is the principle behind Diamond Open Access, which seeks to offer an alternative to high publication fees and give the academic community greater control over scholarly publishing. And Czechia is not being left behind: Masaryk University is establishing a national centre to support the development of Diamond Open Access in the future.
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Jupyter Notebooks have become firmly established in research and data work. Their strength lies in enabling users to capture not only the final result, but also the process that led to it – from source code and its outputs to interpretation. In our new article, we introduce the underlying principles: when they are useful for data analysis, teaching or prototyping, and what the difference is between a Jupyter Notebook and JupyterLab. Find out how to use this tool effectively, directly within the e-INFRA CZ environment.
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Scientists explore new things, but according to Gareth O’Neill, they are also among the most conservative people. Changing established practices in science will therefore not be easy, but O’Neill sees hope in the younger generation. And the goal? For Open Science to become such a natural and integral part of research that we will no longer need to call it “Open Science”.
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How much does AI really cost us and what do we get for the money?
An article by WIRED.cz editor Darek Šmíd takes a sceptical look at the current AI boom, highlighting tech companies’ billion-dollar losses, rising energy consumption, and the difficult-to-measure return on investment. We used his arguments as the starting point for an interview with Lukáš Hejtmánek from CERIT-SC, who brings first-hand experience of operating AI services for thousands of users. As he points out, the costs of developing models and using them on a daily basis are two different things.
Two perspectives on the same technology therefore come together around one question: Is AI too expensive, or are we simply asking the wrong question about what it actually costs?
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In September, we invite you to a webinar organised by the EOSC CZ Training Centre. The online training session, Introduction to the Research Activity Identifier (RAiD), will introduce the RAiD identifier and explain how it can be used to uniquely identify research projects and activities. The webinar will take place on 23 September at 10 am.
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“Back to school” – September is all about learning
At the EOSC CZ Training Centre, you will find online courses covering research data management, Open Science, and practical tools for everyday work with data. You can choose from introductory courses for complete beginners to advanced and highly specialised training sessions. All courses are available online, allowing you to learn at your own pace and revisit them whenever needed.
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Find out what topics were covered in this year’s programme and what participants took away from it. Recordings of almost all the training sessions are also available.
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Tips on further training
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Mon 7 Sep
Another in the regular NFDITalks series, covering topics such as data management, new services, use cases, and more.
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Wed 16 Sep
A DCC webinar on the FAIRsharing service, which offers a wide range of activities supporting the FAIR principles – from data management planning to assessing compliance with the FAIR principles.
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Fri 18 Sep
An online workshop in the SSH Open Marketplace series focusing on cultural heritage data and GLAM data, their specific characteristics, the application of the FAIR principles to this type of data, and ways to promote their reuse and sustainability.
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October – April
An in-person NTK training programme delivered in English, during which participants explore how the results of their research projects could be applied in practice – from assessing its application potential to financing and presentation. Registration is open until 20 September.
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Three days, three perspectives on Open Science. This autumn’s Open Science Week will take place 20–22 October, both online and in person in Brno and Prague. The programme will begin with broader questions – the future of Open Science, the role of universities and research assessment – before moving through an international perspective to concrete practice. Topics will include, for example, AI in research and support for research software.
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EOSC CZ at the Researchers' Night in Brno and Ostrava
Data are generated through communication, travel, shopping, research, social media use, and many other everyday activities. At this year’s Researchers' Night, you will have the opportunity to explore them at two locations. In Brno, at the Faculty of Informatics of Masaryk University, we will show how the form and volume of data have changed over time, what they can reveal about us, how to share them safely, and how artificial intelligence works with them. Citizen science projects will also be featured. You can also discover citizen science in Ostrava, at the IT4Innovations premises, where you will learn how the general public can get involved in scientific research.
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