From the EOSC Association to the EOSC Federation
This self-paced course introduces the development of the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) from a coordinated European initiative into an operational federation of autonomous nodes, services and research resources. It explains the current model and governance of the EOSC Federation, the role and capabilities of EOSC Nodes, implementation models used across Europe, and possible pathways for Ukraine and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine to participate in the Federation.
The first version of the course was prepared from the presentation delivered by A. Shevchenko during the training webinar held on 8–9 October 2026. The author’s original slides were preserved without changes to their content or design and divided into four thematic presentations for self-paced learning. Closing slides 25–26 of the source presentation were not included.
Course Profile
Access: Open
| Format: Self-paced online learning | Language: Ukrainian |
| Scope: 4 thematic modules | Learning materials: 4 presentations |
| Level: Basic | Version: 1.0, 2026 |
Target Audience
The course is intended for researchers, research managers, data stewards, repository and library staff, IT and e-infrastructure specialists, representatives of research institutions, and organisations considering participation in the EOSC Federation.
No prior technical knowledge of EOSC is required. A basic understanding of Open Science and FAIR data principles may be helpful.
Learning Outcomes
After completing the course, learners will be able to:
- explain the evolution of EOSC and the transition towards the EOSC Federation;
- describe the governance and “system of systems” architecture of the Federation;
- explain what an EOSC Node is and distinguish it from an individual service or research resource;
- identify core, general and federating capabilities of EOSC Nodes;
- distinguish national, thematic and e-infrastructure node models;
- compare selected EOSC Node implementation approaches in Europe;
- explain the different participation routes for researchers and resource providers;
- identify the main gaps between existing Ukrainian research infrastructure and EOSC-ready infrastructure;
- describe the role of the MATSCI-NASU pilot in preparing a Ukrainian thematic community for participation in EOSC.
Course Content
Topic 1. The Emergence and Current Model of the EOSC Federation
This topic explains how the rapid growth of digital research data created the need for a shared European research environment. It traces the evolution of EOSC and introduces the present-day EOSC Federation, its coordination framework, documentary foundations and governance build-up.
Presentation: 7 slides
Topic materials
Topic 2. EOSC Nodes and Federating Capabilities
This topic defines an EOSC Node and explains its role within the Federation. It covers core and general node capabilities, research resources, federating capabilities, access routes through the EU Node, and the two waves of candidate EOSC Nodes.
Presentation: 6 slides
Topic materials
Topic 3. Models for Implementing EOSC Nodes in Europe
This topic compares national EOSC Node models in Poland and Germany with e-infrastructure and thematic nodes. It demonstrates how different organisational and technical architectures can coexist within a common “system of systems” connected through shared federating capabilities.
Presentation: 6 slides
Topic materials
Topic 4. The Ukrainian Context and the MATSCI-NASU Pilot
This topic examines the research infrastructure already available in Ukraine and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, as well as the remaining gaps on the path towards EOSC readiness. It presents the MATSCI-NASU pilot, a proposed gradual network of NASU nodes, user and resource-provider participation routes, and a possible cross-node materials-science scenario involving MATSCI-NASU, MatOSC and EGI.
Presentation: 5 slides
Topic materials
Recommended Learning Sequence
The topics should be studied in the proposed order. Topics 1 and 2 introduce the EOSC Federation and its architecture; Topic 3 presents practical European implementation models; Topic 4 applies this framework to Ukraine, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the MATSCI-NASU pilot.
Authorship and Course Development
Source lecture and presentation: A. Shevchenko, Kyiv Academic University.
Course structuring and division into thematic modules: Research Data Management Competence Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
Source event: Training webinar, 8–9 October 2026.
The original author’s slides were retained without content or design changes. Only their division into four thematic presentations was performed for the first version of the online course.