The Republican Scientific Agricultural Library of Technical University of Moldova joins the European Open Science Cloud Future project
FAO
After gaining experience in delivering online capacity development activities as AGRIS Country Hub, the Republican Scientific Agricultural Library of Technical University of Moldova (RSAL TUM) joined in July the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) Future project, focused on Communities of Practices and coordinated through the Research Data Alliance (RDA). The EU-funded Horizon 2020 project is implementing the EOSC that will give European researchers access to a wide web of FAIR data and related services.
The experience of RSAL TUM as an AGRIS Country Hub as well as the participation of its specialists in the IGAD Coffee Break Webinar series organized by the RDA Interest Group for Agricultural Data (IGAD), had a positive effect serving as a bridge to EOSC.
RDA is a global initiative whose goal is to develop tools, infrastructures, standards, best practices and activities that enable researchers around the world and across all disciplines and domains to openly share and re-use data. Members of RDA come together through focused Working Groups and Interest Groups. The Interest Group for Agricultural Data (IGAD) is a domain-oriented interest group working on all issues related to food and agricultural data important for the development of global agriculture.
As IGAD represents the community designated to deal with all the issues related to agricultural research data, it is relevant that the agricultural research community of the Republic of Moldova effectively join the international movement of research data sharing. Its participation will lead to the valorization of data and knowledge obtained by research communities in the county and will ensure the optimization of data flow in specific scientific disciplines.
RSAL TUM, being a national information and documentation center in the field of agriculture, aims to strengthen its capacities and provides support to all the members of the agricultural scientific community of the country in the field of research data management.
In order to succeed, the library is focused on the opportunities resulting from the effective collaboration with IGAD. The project proposal focuses on expanding IGAD in the country to facilitate the adoption of RDA recommendations, inviting experts to join and enrich the dialogue and encouraging researchers to share their experiences.
The aim is to organize joint activities that would bring together experts, generate knowledge and train skills in the field of food and agriculture data. Therefore, the number of researchers from the target community as members of RDA could be increased, as well as the number of joint open research initiatives and of those who would adopt the recommendations and results of the RDA.
The library plans to reach under RDA umbrella the following goals:
- raising awareness among the agricultural community members in the Republic of Moldova about the activity of the Research Data Alliance and the practices of research data management;
- raising awareness about the importance and benefits of managing, opening up and sharing research data for the development of agricultural research in the Republic of Moldova;
- encouraging the sharing of open data in the field of agriculture in the Republic of Moldova; and
- increasing the capacity of the agricultural research community at national level in the field of research data management.
As AGRIS Country Hub, the library also participates in the AGRIS Open Data Set (ODS) and Linked Open Data Initiatives, to increase the awareness about open science and open access in agriculture and awareness about FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) Principles. Joining IGAD will enhance and strengthen AGRIS Country Hub's knowledge in achieving these objectives.
The project will also produce a number of deliverables, including a report on awareness and readiness of researchers in open data sharing and recommendations for future improvements.
