e-Infrastructure Reflection Group
Mission and Vision:
e-IRG is a strategic body to facilitate integration in the area of European e-Infrastructures and connected services, within and between member states, at the European level and globally.
The mission of e-IRG is to support both coherent, innovative and strategic European e-Infrastructure policymaking and the development of convergent and sustainable e-Infrastructure services.
e-IRG Workshop under Belgian EU Presidency
e-IRG Workshop under Spanish EU Presidency
e-IRG Workshop and the 20 years of e-IRG Anniversary Event Under Swedish Presidency
e-IRG White Paper 2022
e-IRG Workshop under Czech EU Presidency
e-IRG Workshop under French EU Presidency
e-IRG White Paper 2021
National Nodes
A holistic
e-Infrastructure Commons within the European Research Area
The digital transformation profoundly impacts all aspects of Research and Innovation (R&I) and is one of the driving forces behind the development of the ERA. The digital transformation involves sharing resources within and between research communities and across national boundaries. In line with the ERAC e-IRG sees the need for a federated and coordinated approach in Europe to overcome the lack of inclusiveness and coordination in Open Science and Open Innovation to continuously strengthen the scientific and technological base in Europe towards a fully functioning ERA.
Current EC policies pose a risk of fragmentation. Relevant elements for the digital transformation in the R&I domain concern work programmes in both Horizon Europe and Digital Europe. The EOSC may be recognized as a first implementation towards the e-Infrastructure Commons in Europe. It might also be seen as an instantiation of a European dataspace for R&I. A comprehensive implementation of the e-Infrastructure Commons within the European Research Area (ERA) requires an integrative approach covering the federation of the full e-Infrastructure spectrum including EOSC and EuroHPC. For such an approach e-IRG is an indispensable instrument. e-IRG serves an exchange of (expert) information and policies and facilitates informed discussions on topics like:
- Good practices of coordination and collaboration within and across e-Infrastructures and thematic research infrastructures
- Realisation and enhancement of partnerships in the e-Infrastructure landscape covering the full spectrum, including EDI and ECI
- Resilience and value of e-Infrastructures in transient situations, eg. COVID-19 pandemic
- Analysis of the complementary dimensions of national situations
- Reflections of data interoperability and machine actionability
- Education and skills
- Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, e-Learning, etc. highlighting the crucial role of e-Infrastructures
e-IRG is well positioned for guiding these developments well beyond the implementation of the EOSC, ensuring directionality (common vision) and additionality (added value) in the e-Infrastructure endeavours.
Full document: Value of e-IRG and prospect (PDF)
e-IRGSP7 has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Programme call HORIZON-INFRA-2021-DEV-01-05, Grant Agreement number 101057802.