Supporting you on your FAIR-enabling journey
The availability of data that are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR) lies at the heart of the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) vision. FAIR is not a binary concept and cannot be achieved by any single action or actor. Instead, FAIR is a shared journey involving several stakeholders over the entire research lifecycle.
Researchers play a key role in making their outputs FAIR but equally the organisations who employ them, the funding bodies that financially support and influence the way they work, and the range of infrastructures that are used by researchers to create, share and curate their outputs also play critical roles. To help foster a FAIR ecosystem, FAIR-IMPACT will support three key stakeholder groups - research performing organisations, repositories and data services providers, and national level initiatives - to begin or progress their FAIR-enabling journeys.
Through our series of open calls, FAIR-IMPACT raises awareness and supports the uptake of existing and emerging tools, solutions and approaches that have been developed through recently completed and ongoing European Commission INFRAEOSC projects and international initiatives such as the Research Data Alliance.
For those just getting started on their FAIR-enabling journeys, FAIR-IMPACT provides dedicated guidance and one-to-one support to successful applicants from our three key stakeholder groups to self-assess their current capabilities and to develop FAIR implementation action plans. For more information on this support programme, see Route 1 below.
It can be challenging to know which tools and/or approaches to use for different purposes and how they should be used most effectively. To help take some of the guesswork out of implementing FAIR, we provide a set of clearly defined support actions that help successful applicants to learn how to use specific tools/methods/approaches which will help them progress their journey to become FAIR-enabling. For more information, see Route 2 below.
Route 1: via dedicated guidance and one-to-one support
Successful applicants from each of the three stakeholder groups will work over a period of nine months with FAIR-IMPACT mentors and external experts to learn how to support the uptake of FAIR-enabling practices. This will include participation in a series of virtual workshops based on the FAIR Implementation Framework, assessed homework and one-to-one support. This call is suitable for those who are just getting started with supporting the FAIR Principles or are less advances on their FAIR-enabling journey.
Financial support is not provided for this programme however successful applicants will receive one-to-one support with dedicated mentors.
There will be two open calls for participation in these support programmes over the life of the FAIR-IMPACT project.
What we will provide to successful applicants to Route 1 support programmes:
- In this programme, no financial support is provided but participants will receive dedicated support including expert guidance and advice from FAIR-IMPACT mentors and external experts
- Practical advice and guidance on key FAIR-enabling topics. The support programmes for each stakeholder group will vary but thematic areas covered may include policies, persistent identifiers, data management planning, trustworthy repositories, provision of support and training, and handling other research outputs including software.
- One-to-one support to:
- Undertake a supported self-assessment of current FAIR-enabling practices
- Develop a FAIR implementation action plan
- Devise an engagement strategy
- A key aim of the support programme is to foster knowledge exchange between peers and there will be dedicated workshops to facilitate this
- The opportunity to promote their work via a published FAIR Implementation Story.
In their applications we expect applicants to clearly demonstrate the following:
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Key dates:
Call opens | Deadline for applications | Notification to applicants | Start of support programmes |
30 August 2023 | 1 November 2023 | early December 2023 | late January 2024 |
30 April 2024 | 1 July 2024 | early August 2024 | late September 2024 |
Save the dates:Join us for one of our upcoming virtual workshops to learn more about the support programmes in Route 1. Follow links to the registration pages for each event.
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Route 2: via support to test specific tools, approaches and solutions
Each of the defined support actions will provide guidance and assistance to successful applicants on implementing one or more tools and approaches. Successful applicants will receive financial support to enable their participation in a series of virtual, hands-on workshops. This support is suitable to those who are more advanced on their FAIR-enabling journey and ready to test specific tools and approaches.
There will be three open calls for participation in the defined support actions over the life of the FAIR-IMPACT project (the first open call is closed)
What we will provide to successful participants for Route 2 support actions:
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A dedicated support package, including virtual workshops, expert guidance and advice from FAIR-IMPACT project partners and resource providers to enable participants to implement the particular tool or approach.
- Financial support to enable participation, payable by invoice upon successful completion of the support action.1 The exact amount of the financial support that will be provided will vary across the support actions as it is based on the number of days required to participate. In most cases, participation in support actions will require between 5-10 days of effort from participants spread over a 1-2 month period. Funds may be used solely for supporting staff time to carry out relevant support action activities (participating in the virtual webinars, carrying out homework, completing exit questionnaire and/or interview, etc.).
- The opportunity to share their knowledge and learn from their peers through the virtual workshops.
- The opportunity to promote their work via a published FAIR-IMPACT Implementation Story.
In their application, we expect applicants to clearly demonstrate the following:
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Key dates:
Call opens | Deadline for applications | Notifications to applicants | Start of support actions |
31 March 2023 | 1 June 2023 | mid July 2023 | September 2023 |
31 January 2024 | 31 March 2024 | mid May 2024 | June 2024 (tbc) |
30 September 2024 | 30 November 2024 | mid January 2025 | February 2025 (tbc) |
Who can apply for to FAIR-IMPACT Open Calls?
Applications are welcomed from individuals or small groups from public and private organisations and initiatives including:
- Universities, research centres and research infrastructures;
- Repositories, data and metadata service providers;
- Representatives of national and international level initiatives.
Applicants must reside and/or work in an EU or Associated Country for the duration of the grant.
For applications to Route 1 support, FAIR-IMPACT will prioritise support for organisations, groups, and/or individuals based in countries or representing domains that are currently less advanced in terms of their FAIR enabling capacity and EOSC readiness2.
The call is not open to individuals or groups based at any of the FAIR-IMPACT project partner organisations nor to individuals who hold the status of FAIR Champions under FAIR-IMPACT.
UPDATE: Please note that as part of this open call, FAIR-IMPACT is bound to adhere to the ‘Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2506 of 15 December 2022 on measures for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary’, which places restrictions on which Hungarian entities can become a beneficiary of European Commission-funded projects. Please see the European Commission FAQs on the Decision here.
To register your interest in the open calls and to receive updates as details of the support actions on offer are released, the dates of the promotional webinars on what each support action will provide and application deadlines, please enter your details at the bottom of this page. For any other questions please contact opencalls[at]fair-impact.eu.