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June 2025
23 Jun 2025, 12:30
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Čeština
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Dear readers,
In this issue, we bring you a summary and highlights from the Research Data Day & EOSC National Tripartite Event conference. At the beginning of June, the Summer School for Data Stewards took place in Ostrava, where, just like at the conference, the current topics of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) resonated strongly.
The May EOSC CZ Networking event was exceptional, as representatives from six Brno research institutions gathered at Mendel University to exchange experience and establish new collaborations.
We look forward to being in touch again with our next newsletter at the height of the late-summer season – bringing you invitations to upcoming autumn events.
We wish you a wonderful and relaxing summer!
The EOSC CZ Team
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Brno hosted leading figures in European research infrastructures
The two-day international Research Data Day & EOSC National Tripartite Event 2025 conference attracted over 200 experts from the Czech Republic and abroad to Brno. Research data, research infrastructures, artificial intelligence, and European collaboration – all these themes echoed throughout a programme rich in discussion, inspiration, and knowledge exchange. Below, we have highlighted several noteworthy moments from the conference. Recordings of individual sessions and speakers’ presentations are available on the conference website and our YouTube channel.
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Representatives from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS), the EOSC CZ Steering Committee, the European Commission, and the EOSC Association discussed the future of EOSC, its funding, and the role of national nodes. Significant emphasis was placed on the need for coordinated governance and integration of research policies. “EOSC can be understood as a meta-infrastructure whose main value lies in its ability to support collaboration across scientific disciplines and research infrastructures,” stated Luděk Matyska.
The panel, moderated by Jan Hrušák, presented a vision for the strategic oversight of European infrastructures.
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A diverse range of contributions demonstrated that research infrastructures are key to ensuring the long-term quality and usability of data across disciplines – from human exposome research, through social sciences, to astrophysics.
“We must invest in data quality from the very beginning of data collection and agree on how data will be integrated across domains. This requires not only building adequate data infrastructure but also raising awareness of emerging research directions and their demands for long-term data quality and interoperability,” Jana Klánová mentioned in her lecture.
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The main theme of the conference’s second day focused on how to align FAIR principles with the requirements for “data ready for AI.”
Discussions covered data quality, interoperability, and how research communities can benefit from European infrastructures such as EOSC and the LUMI AI Factory.
Vladimír Ulman (IT4Innovations, Masaryk University) emphasised the necessity of well-annotated datasets and the availability of infrastructure (e.g., FAIR repositories and high-performance computing resources). Tomáš Brázdil and Saltuk Eyrilmez presented specific applications of AI in pathology and drug development.
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In practical workshops, participants became acquainted with FAIR tools and approaches to data management. A closed session for NRP project partners enabled deeper sharing of experience and needs within the national platform.
As part of the FAIR workshop, the speakers focused both on the general benefits and processes involved in the FAIRification of data and on hands-on experience with FAIRifying one’s own software. This practical and highly appreciated part of the workshop, led by Terezie Slanináková, can be viewed in the conference video.
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On 24 May, Mendel University in Brno hosted another event in the networking series, marking the first meeting of six research institutions in Brno. The main focus was on sharing experience related to implementing tools for advanced research data management – specifically, universities that are just beginning to introduce electronic laboratory notebooks had the opportunity to gain know-how from colleagues at Brno University of Technology (VUT).
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On the occasion of the EOSC CZ Networking meeting in Brno, we interviewed Ivo Pavlík from Mendel University in Brno, whose research team investigates the immune resistance of bats to mycobacteria. We discussed open access, which he believes accelerates the advancement of knowledge and strengthens international scientific collaboration.
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During the tenth assembly of the EOSC Association on 27 May in Antwerp, Klaus Tochtermann was elected as the new president, taking the helm from Karl Luyben, who led the association for over six years. The future of the EOSC beyond 2027 will be the association’s main focus in the coming months. Read more about the first statements and professional career of the incoming president.
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Researchers in the United States and elsewhere around the world face concerns about losing their data and, along with it, years of work. Fear of potential intervention by the U.S. administration, possibly leading to reduced access to scientific data, has sparked an unprecedented wave of activity. At risk were datasets on climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, energy production, flood hazards, and climate modelling. What lessons can be drawn from these events? Scientific data must be systematically protected, backed up, and preserved within open, distributed infrastructures that are independent of political changes.
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Summer school in Ostrava: AI opens new possibilities for data stewards
Three intensive days focused on modern approaches to managing and sharing scientific data. Participants expanded both their knowledge and networks within the Czech community. Christian Steiner highlighted that today’s data stewards no longer need to master specific tools in detail – instead, they should develop a broad understanding of various technologies and the strategic ability to utilise AI. Recordings of the lectures and the speakers’ presentations can be found on the summer school website and our YouTube channel.
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