The reproducibility crisis poses a significant challenge in modern science, as researchers worldwide struggle with issues of transparency, data management, and methodological consistency. TIER2, a three-year project funded jointly by the EU and UKRI, addresses these challenges by examining epistemological, social, and technical factors.

At the heart of TIER2 are eight strategic pilot activities, each targeting specific aspects of reproducibility. These pilots develop practical tools and methodologies for managing digital research objects throughout their lifecycle, from initial data collection to analysis, publication, and long-term preservation. Through a co-creation approach, TIER2 unites researchers, funders, and publishers to create solutions that are both technically robust and practically implementable.

The project aligns closely with the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), one of Europe's most transformative initiatives in reshaping how research is conducted, shared, and preserved. Through its recently published position paper, TIER2 showcases how its practical tools and solutions strengthen EOSC's mission of supporting open, reproducible research across Europe.

Read the publication: https://zenodo.org/records/15533125

TIER2's Enhancement of EOSC's Mission

The project supports EOSC's goal of creating a "Web of FAIR Data and Services." TIER2's pilot activities develop solutions that seamlessly integrate with EOSC infrastructure, enabling efficient management of digital research objects throughout their lifecycle while implementing FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles in conjunction with existing EOSC services and tools.

Through strategic collaboration with researchers, funders, and publishers, TIER2 has developed a comprehensive suite of tools and guidelines that address real-world reproducibility challenges. These practical solutions have yielded several key innovations, detailed in the paper, which include:

• Development of tools for digital object management that seamlessly integrate with existing research workflows
• Creation of standardized documentation guidelines to enhance research transparency
• Implementation of quality assurance mechanisms to support reproducible research practices
• Establishment of monitoring frameworks to track policy compliance and effectiveness

OpenAIRE's Role

OpenAIRE, as one of TIER2's strategic infrastructure partners, leads two key pilot activities. The first develops a prototype template that enhances Data Management Plans (DMPs) with reproducibility-related information and integrates with the ARGOS platform. The second pilot develops a monitoring dashboard that tracks reproducibility practices across research domains, providing actionable insights for funders while improving access to reproducible digital objects.

Future Impact

As TIER2 approaches its final phase, its contributions will establish reproducibility as a cornerstone of European research infrastructure. The project's tools and methodologies, designed to scale across the EOSC ecosystem, will advance open, transparent, and reproducible research throughout Europe.