EOSC Winter School 2026 concludes in Nice, reinforcing collaboration across the EOSC ecosystem !

The third edition of the EOSC Winter School took place from 27 to 29 January 2026 in Nice, France, bringing together a broad representation of the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) community. Organised by EOSC Association with the support of the EOSC Gravity project, the event built upon the momentum generated by the EOSC Symposium 2025 and the ongoing work of the EOSC Federation Build-up Group. 

Positioned as a strategic forum for advancing convergence towards the EOSC Federation, the Winter School deepened dialogue among stakeholders while supporting alignment across INFRAEOSC projects, task forces, expert groups, and European institutions. The programme was co-located with a closed meeting of the EOSC Federation Build-up Group held on 26–27 January, whose outcomes directly informed the discussions that followed during the Winter School. 

Advancing the EOSC Federation through structured collaboration 

The 2026 edition reaffirmed the EOSC Federation as the central reference framework guiding collaboration across the European research data landscape. 

The event fostered convergence through three complementary objectives: 

• strengthening exchanges between EOSC Nodes and the wider community to facilitate future applications and the onboarding of resources; 

• enabling networking and alliance-building to support joint initiatives and collaborative proposals; 

• enhancing operational collaboration through in-depth discussions and hands-on sessions. 

Two interlinking programme components structured the three-day event. The EOSC Stakeholder Brokerage Event on 27 January created a matchmaking environment designed to connect resource providers with EOSC Nodes. This was followed by thematic tracks on 28–29 January addressing federating capabilities and interoperability, resources, and competences and training. Social events held at the end of each day further supported informal exchanges and community-building. 

Active engagement from the Climate-Adapt4EOSC consortium 

Several partners from the Climate-Adapt4EOSC consortium took part in the Winter School, contributing to strategic discussions on interoperability, service integration, and the long-term sustainability of climate adaptation resources within the EOSC ecosystem. Their participation reflected the project’s continued commitment to supporting the operationalisation of the federation and ensuring that climate services developed in European projects are effectively integrated into EOSC infrastructures. 

Consortium representatives engaged in the EOSC Stakeholder Brokerage Event, where they exchanged with Build-up Group members and Winter School participants to foster dialogue and alignment on EOSC priorities. These interactions provided an opportunity to position Climate-Adapt4EOSC services within the evolving federation landscape while identifying potential collaboration pathways. 

The following Climate-Adapt4EOSC partners attended the event: 

• Thanasis Sfetsos, Project Coordinator, and Dimitra Panou, R&D Engineer, representing National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos (NCSRD); 

• Nick Juty, Senior Researcher at The University of Manchester (UNIMAN); 

• Tom Mackenzie, Senior Innovation Consultant at G.A.C. Group; 

• Kollol Chakraborty, Senior Software Engineer at Technovative Solutions Ltd (TVS); 

• Simon Hodson, Executive Director of CODATA. 

Contributions to discussions on EOSC Nodes and service onboarding 

During the thematic sessions, Climate-Adapt4EOSC representatives participated in discussions dedicated to EOSC Nodes, examining both operational and strategic dimensions of the federation. Particular attention was given to mechanisms enabling services developed within European projects to be onboarded to thematic and national nodes: an essential step for strengthening interoperability, improving accessibility, and maximising the reuse of research outputs. 

Participants demonstrated a shared interest in clarifying onboarding pathways, governance structures, and technical requirements, highlighting the importance of coordinated approaches to ensure that project-generated services can transition effectively into sustainable EOSC resources. 

Closing reflections and forward-looking perspectives 

The final day convened participants for joint reporting sessions focused on lessons learned, collective reflections, and priorities for the next phase of EOSC implementation. Exchanges underscored the growing maturity of the federation concept and the need for continued coordination across projects to support scalable, interoperable research services. 

Climate-Adapt4EOSC remained actively engaged throughout these discussions, contributing expertise on climate adaptation data and digital services while reinforcing its role within the broader EOSC landscape. The consortium’s participation confirmed its strategic objective to enhance the accessibility, integration, and long-term sustainability of climate adaptation resources for the European research community. 

As the Winter School concluded, it provided not only a platform for immediate collaboration but also a foundation for future partnerships and funding initiatives. The outcomes are expected to inform ongoing federation efforts and support the progressive alignment of projects working towards a more connected and operational European Open Science Cloud. 

To stay informed about future updates, subscribe to the YouTube channel. You can also follow project updates via our LinkedIn.