Open Science, the role of NI4OS-Europe and the contribution of NRENs in Research work were the main topics that were discussed during the online 2021 SEE User Forum that took place on 3-4 November 2021. During the 2-day event, more than 200 members of the NREN community of South East Europe participated and shared their experiences with the aim for all to gain new insights into Open Science and the supporting Infrastructure and services. The event was jointly coordinated by GÉANT, NI4OS-Europe and EOSC Future.
In his welcome, Prof. Anastas Mishev from the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje and NI4OS-Europe partner, emphasized on the fact that end-users are the most important element of the Open Science ecosystem. The event featured various aspects of Open Science, the activities and contribution of NI4OS-Europe project to EOSC, data -driven science and innovation, as well as the role of National Research & Education Networks (NRENs) in connecting users, providing opportunities to share knowledge and best practices across the world.
Presentations and use cases provided insights on the benefits of open science and FAIR data for research and highlighted the importance of building a transparent and sustainable research ecosystem. Federated Identities and Authentication & Authorization mechanisms are essential for creating a trusted ecosystem for research, where sharing and learning are vital.
NI4OS -Europe AGORA service catalogue and the on-boarded regional services for the EOSC community were presented on the 1st day of the forum.
The Forum concluded on November 4th with all participants wishing for the next one to take place in the SEE region.