Helmholtz in the EOSC

Helmholtz is involved in the structures of the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) at many levels.

EOSC Governance

The European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) was launched in 2015 at the initiative of the European Commission. It is a Europe-wide initiative to build an open, federated infrastructure that enables free access to research data and digital scientific resources across national borders and disciplines. As an overarching platform, the EOSC brings together researchers, institutions, and data providers from across Europe.

The goal is to develop an inclusive and open space for the exchange and efficient use of research data. To this end, the EOSC builds on existing infrastructures and services to consolidate them into a federated “system of systems.” This approach creates a reliable “Web of FAIR Data and Services” for European science. It is intended to serve as a central hub for accessing, storing, and sharing research data and promotes the implementation of the FAIR principles across Europe.

Collaboration within the EOSC is based on cooperation between the EU, represented by the Commission; the participating countries on the EOSC Steering Board; and European research institutions, represented by the EOSC Association. Together, they are committed to establishing and monitoring open science in the European research landscape, while ensuring that national and European research policies are aligned.

National EOSC Nodes

So-called EOSC nodes play a central role in the practical implementation and integration of national infrastructures.

The EOSC EU Node

As the federation’s first operational platform, the EOSC EU Node—provided by the European Commission—forms the technical and administrative foundation of the entire European Open Science Infrastructure. It serves researchers as a central, GDPR-compliant gateway to multidisciplinary digital services—ranging from virtual machines and cloud storage to interactive notebooks and secure tools for transferring large amounts of data. At the same time, the EOSC EU Node serves as a reference model and architectural blueprint for the interoperability of national and thematic nodes, such as the German EOSC node. In this way, it creates the common framework needed to turn the vision of a networked European scientific commons into operational reality.

The EOSC Node Germany

In Germany, the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) serves as the German EOSC node. This node serves as a central platform that, through the targeted integration of end-to-end AAI (Authentication and Authorization Infrastructure) connectivity, significantly reduces the technological barriers for German organizations joining the European EOSC Federation and enables seamless networking.

Helmholtz Participation in the EOSC

At the international level, the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) is of strategic importance to the Helmholtz Association’s data-intensive research as a cornerstone of digital sovereignty in Europe. The Helmholtz Centers are proving to be key drivers in this European landscape:

Currently, the following Helmholtz Centers are active as members or observers in the EOSC Association:

  • Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
  • Deutsches Klimarechenzentrum GmbH (DKRZ)
  • Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)
  • Forschungszentrum Jülich 
  • Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung (GSI)
  • Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB)
  • Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)

As part of the Horizon Europe funding program, various projects are being funded that contribute to the establishment and further development of the EOSC. Since 2018, Helmholtz Centers have been involved in 23 of the 49 ongoing and completed EOSC projects, and the Helmholtz Association will also be represented in 8 of the 13 future projects in the new generation of projects set to begin in 2026. In addition, eight centers are active as members or observers in the EOSC Association, and Helmholtz representatives are present in every task force.

On going Finished
AquaINFRA: Hereon, KIT AI4EOSC: KIT
Blue-Cloud 2026: AWI EOSC4CANCER: DKFZ
EOSC-Beyond: DESY, FZJ, KIT FAIR-EASE: AWI
EOSC Data Commons: FZJ FAIR-IMPACT: KIT

EOSC United: FZJ

 Skills4EOSC: KIT
EVERSE: HZDR  
O.S.C.A.R.S: DESY  

Starts in 2026:

  • EOSC4ALL: FZJ
  • EOSC-ARENA: KIT
  • EOSC Mesh: DESY, FZJ, KIT
  • EOSC-Marine: AWI
  • Fluid-AI: KIT, UFZ
  • GenAI4Earth: GFZ, KIT, UFZ
  • RenAi: KIT, UFZ
  • STARDAST: UFZ

Numerous researchers from Helmholtz are involved in the EOSC task forces. They provide feedback on EOSC projects and support the further development of the Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda for the EOSC (SRIA).

The Helmholtz Open Science Office, together with the Helmholtz Office Brussels, acts as a strategic interface with the EOSC and regularly organizes forums and other exchange events. In this way, the OS Office makes a significant contribution to the ongoing monitoring of Helmholtz activities within the EOSC. Community building brings together decentralized stakeholders, creates synergies, and ensures that the activities of the individual centers are aligned with the shared Helmholtz vision.

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