EOSC CZ shines at INFORM EU: European communication experts learn about a unique Czech initiative

Data, transparency, and communication took centre stage at the INFORM EU plenary session hosted in the industrial setting of the Dolní Vítkovice complex in Ostrava. The three-day conference, from 14 to 16 November, offered presentations by well-known European experts on data communication, showcasing major cross-border projects. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport in the Czech highlighted the EOSC-CZ project as a flagship initiative representing the Czech Republic at the event. As the first project in a series supporting the European EOSC initiative in the country, EOSC-CZ holds strategic importance under the Programme Johannes Amos Comenius.

"EOSC-CZ is a project that is unprecedented in the Czech Republic. The goal is to connect existing scientific communities and create an organized system to store and share data. Nowadays, research is developing at a rapid pace. The EOSC initiative aims to facilitate access to data for scientists and scientific organizations in general," said Jiří Marek, Head of the EOSC-CZ Secretariat, during his address to an international audience in the multifunctional auditorium of the Gong Hall. He explained the importance of the project for Czech and international science, and shared the challenges his team faces in implementing the new initiative in the Czech environment.

Marek also gave the audience an overview of why it is essential for scientists to share data, pointing out that openness in the scientific environment sometimes meets resistance. "Even though we still face questions about the security of sharing data and its communication, we are not giving up. The first year of the EOSC-CZ project shows that collaboration across disciplines in working groups is successful," Marek addressed.

In the section Communicating flagship projects: examples from the ground, Marek's outputs followed Marie Hošťálková, PR & Marketing Specialist of the EOSC-CZ Secretariat. She drew the audience into her presentation by asking how they imagine communicating with scientists. "Working with scientists is fantastic, but it also brings many challenges. The purpose of scientists is to contribute to a better world, so communication with them must be clear and straightforward. Their goal is to do science, not to communicate. In communication, we focus on good practice cases of scientists who work with data and see sharing as a strength, not a weakness. That's the EOSC communication's key to succeed. On examples of good practice and stories," Hošťálková highlighted in her speech. She stepped also in the role of social networks in communicating scientific projects, asserting their relevance.

Concluding her presentation, Hošťálková underscored the time and patience required to build communication for a project of EOSC-CZ's magnitude. She drew a parallel with the proverbial wisdom that even Rome was not built in a day, emphasizing the universality of this truth in the context of project communication.

INFORM EU

INFORM EU is a pan-European network comprising experts specializing in communication and presenting investments made by the European Union and its Member States within the joint management framework. The network focuses on the eight funds managed by the European Union. The primary objective of INFORM EU is to enhance the communication proficiency of Member States and regions, thereby boosting the visibility and transparency of EU actions. Additionally, it establishes platforms to facilitate effective collaboration between the European Commission and EU programs.

For those engaged in communicating EU programs, INFORM EU serves as a key forum and information-sharing space. It plays a crucial role in enabling efficient networking among various stakeholders at the European level.