ICSC – Italian Research Center on HPC, Big Data, and Quantum Computing has taken a significant step forward in its journey toward recognition as a National Node for the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). This initiative aims to enhance European research by facilitating access to data, computing resources, and services for data management and analysis.
The EOSC architecture is currently envisioned as a Federation of Nodes, a “system of systems” composed of thematic and national nodes that follow common technological paradigms, enabling the implementation of FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) in Open Science.
ICSC’s candidacy is backed by a strong technological foundation, advanced cloud computing expertise, and a strategic vision for Open Science, reinforcing Italy’s role in the European research landscape.
Recognition as an EOSC node will allow ICSC to:
• Support the national scientific community in adopting FAIR practices;
• Integrate Italian computing and data infrastructures into the broader EOSC ecosystem;
• Foster collaborations between academic institutions, research organizations, and industrial partners for the management and valorization of scientific data.
Only two years since its establishment, ICSC has already positioned itself as a key player in European and international science, promoting data and research infrastructure sharing at the European level. The center is committed to developing innovative services for research data management and supporting Italian researchers in accessing advanced computing resources and data analysis tools.
The Italian EOSC Node originates from the ICDI (Italian Computing and Data Infrastructure) initiative, which has been coordinating the participation of Italian universities, research institutions, and infrastructures in EOSC since 2018. ICSC’s decision to apply as an EOSC node aligns with its strategy, leveraging Italy’s computing infrastructures and expertise from leading public research institutions. This move positions ICSC as Italy’s central hub for gathering and coordinating resources and services within EOSC.
