The mission and objectives of NI4OS-Europe were presented during the “2020 Open Data Day: Transparency, Innovation, Development” event that was held in Nicosia, Cyprus on the 5th of March. UCy NI4OS-Europe representative, V. Koukounidou, talked about how the project will assist the local research community in its involvement to the EOSC vision.
The event was organised by the Cypriot Ministry of Finance, Public Administration and Personnel Department and the Library of the University of Cyprus, which acts as the Cyprus National Open Access Desk of OpenAIRE and partner of NI4OS-Europe project.
In a crowded room the participants were able to attend interesting presentations about the latest developments, impacts and aspects of Open data, in line with new technological developments and best practices on how Open Data can play a key role on innovation and research. The distinguished speakers were selected by the organisers to achieve representation of the public, private and research and academic sectors.
The event was addressed by the Minister of Finance, Mr Constantinos Petrides, who noted that “Opening our data is providing an unlimited perspective on research, innovation, political accountability, development, democracy and progress. The richness of data that the government produces and holds is not the property of the Government and should not be locked in Ministry drawer, instead, it belongs to the citizens.”
The Rector of the University of Cyprus, Prof. Tasos Christofides, referred to the development and progress of Science in terms of Open Science and that the University of Cyprus is and will continue to act as a local facilitator as the National Open Access Desk in Cyprus.
Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Mr Kyriakos Kokkinos, clearly stated in his key-note speech that the chapter of Open Data will be of major importance to the achievement of the tasks of his Deputy ministry.