OSCARS (Open Science Cluster Action for Research & Society) is a four-year project funded under Horizon Europe. It brings together world-class European Research Infrastructures in the ESFRI (European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures) roadmap and beyond, with the ultimate goal of fostering the uptake of Open Science in Europe across scientific disciplines and communities. The first objective is to consolidate the achievements of the Science Clusters into lasting interdisciplinary FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data services and working practices. Through an open call mechanism for financial support to third parties, a broad range of research communities will be involved for the development of new, innovative Open Science projects, that together will drive the uptake of FAIR-data-intensive research throughout the European Research Area (ERA).
The aim of the call, which is the first of two calls foreseen in the frame of the project, is to support researchers engaging in or developing Open Data Research by conducting science projects that facilitate and foster sharing research data and results based on FAIR principles. Proposals that develop and/or make available services or tools (software; hardware; middleware; protocols; standards; benchmarks; documentation and training/mentoring materials; activities and resources), which enable Open Research in a field and encourage open science practice based on FAIR principles, are also eligible.
Projects – which will be funded with a lump sum between 100,000 and 250,000 EUR – can be proposed in the field of any of the Science Clusters and beyond by any researcher or group of researchers. The financial support provided through OSCARS is open to Research Infrastructures, Universities, Institutes, consortia as well as individual researchers. By the end of the project, it is expected that a series of valuable scientific demonstrators will be available, leading to an increased uptake of Open Science by researchers and to promote cross-border and cross-domain cooperation in the long run.
All proposals must be submitted using the online application form through the OSCARS grants platform .
OSCARS organises four dedicated one-hour "Ask me everything" online sessions (register here):
- 16 April - 14:00-15:00 CEST - ENVRI (Environmental Sciences), LS RI (Life Sciences), PaNOSC (Photon and Neutron Science)
- 23 April - 11:00-12:00 CEST - ESCAPE (Astronomy, Nuclear and Particle Physics), PaNOSC (Photon and Neutron Science), SSHOC (Social Sciences and Humanities)
- 29 April - 14:00-15:00 CEST - ESCAPE (Astronomy, Nuclear and Particle Physics), LS RI (Life Sciences), PaNOSC (Photon and Neutron Science)
- 9 May - 14:00-15:00 CEST - ENVRI (Environmental Sciences), LS RI (Life Sciences), SSHOC (Social Sciences and Humanities)