From March 13–14, 2025, the OSTrails consortium convened in Athens for its inaugural General Assembly, marking a pivotal transition from infrastructure development to widespread adoption. The event gathered over 65 in-person participants, complemented by numerous online attendees, including researchers, infrastructure managers, funders, developers, policymakers, and technical experts. This diverse assembly facilitated in-depth discussions on the current state and future evolution of Open Science within the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC).
OSTrails stands for Open Science Trails and is aimed at improving the way we plan, track, and assess scientific knowledge. Going beyond current methods, working with different countries and themes to make existing systems better and connect key parts for research and innovation (R&I), the goal of OSTrails is to create a practical, open, and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) system for European scientific research. OSTrails involves major players in Data Management Plans, FAIR Assessment Tools, and Scientific Knowledge Graphs to set standards and make data plans more efficient across Europe
Key Achievements from Year One
At the General Assembly, technical leads showcased a major milestone: the release of the first version of the OSTrails Toolkit, laying the groundwork for integrated, interoperable research data workflows. This includes the Plan–Track–Assess Framework and Reference Architecture, along with three core Interoperability Frameworks, DMP-IF, SKG-IF, and FAIR-IF. Supporting components such as the OSTrails Commons, FAIRness Reference Model, and DMP Evaluation Rubric provide practical, reusable resources to guide adoption.
Hackathons: Driving Technical Progress
Preceding the General Assembly, OSTrails organized three focused hackathons aimed at advancing technical developments:
- DMP Hackathon: Collaborated with the Research Data Alliance (RDA) and various DMP platforms to develop a Common API for machine-actionable DMPs, enhancing interoperability and functionality.
- FAIR Hackathon: Aligned and enhanced FAIR assessment tools and services, promoting consistency and interoperability in evaluating research outputs.
- SKG Hackathon: Engaged infrastructures such as CESSDA, CLARIN, ESCAPE, and PANOSC to refine SKG API specifications and support FAIR principles, improving the integration and utility of Scientific Knowledge Graphs.
These collaborative sessions fostered innovation and laid the groundwork for subsequent tool releases and ecosystem integration.
Pilots in Action: Real-World Applications
During the Assembly, presentations from national and domain-specific pilots, including initiatives in Finland, Poland, the Netherlands, ESRF, ENVRI, and CESSDA, demonstrated the practical applications of OSTrails tools. These pilots showcased how the frameworks are being integrated into real-world workflows, such as enriching DMPs with live metadata and applying FAIR assessments in national contexts, thereby validating and refining OSTrails solutions.
Training and Community Engagement: Building Capacity
OSTrails launched its Training Corner, a centralized hub offering learning materials, and online courses aimed at building capacity among researchers and research support staff. The consortium also introduced its Mentorship Programme, designed to provide personalized guidance on implementing OSTrails tools and frameworks.
Looking Ahead: Future Directions
The General Assembly set the stage for the next phase of OSTrails, focusing on:
- Technical Refinements: Updating the interoperability frameworks and reference architecture, advancing the DMP Evaluation Service and FAIR-IF, and developing new APIs and metadata publishing functionalities.
- Training and Mentorship: Launching the first online course on DMPs/maDMPs by the end of 2025, with a full course rollout in early 2026, and initiating the OSTrails Mentorship Programme from June 2025 to May 2026.
- Community Events: Hosting a webinar series starting in April, with sessions introducing OSTrails and the Mentorship Programme, as well as deep dives into each Interoperability Framework. Additionally, OSTrails will organize the first Bootcamp in late 2025, aimed at training institutional adopters.
The 2025 General Assembly underscored OSTrails' commitment to transforming research planning, tracking, and assessment. With robust technical progress, strong community alignment, and an expanding ecosystem of support, OSTrails is poised to deliver sustainable, interoperable solutions that will enhance the European Open Science landscape.
Read more about the OSTrails 1st General Assembly here.
