euroCRIS Technical Committee

Composition of the euroCRIS Technical Committee for Interoperability and Standards (TCIS)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                June 2020                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                The process for establishing the composition of the new euroCRIS Technical Committee for Interoperability and Standards (TCIS) for Research Information has been completed as of May 31st, which was the deadline for the submission of nominations. The final composition of the TCIScomprises elevent members from eight different countries as shown below:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
  • Gavin Reddick (Researchfish Ltd - Interfolio UK Ltd)  
  • Alejandro Engelmann (Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet - SLU University Library)  
  • Daniele Bailo (EPOS/INGV)  
  • Christian Hauschke (TIB Hannover/VIVO)  
  • Brian Plauborg (Elsevier Pure)  
  • Sophie Biesenbender (DZHW)  
  • Jochen Schirrwagen (Uni Bielefeld, OpenAIRE)  
  • Sebastian Herwig (Uni Münster, DINI FIS WG)  
  • Tommi Suominen (CSC)  
  • Anna Guillaumet (SIGMA AIE/VIVO)  
  • Geert van Grootel (EWI)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             euroCRIS Technical Committee (TC) for Interoperability and Standards for Research Information: Call for nominations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                February 2020                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Background                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      System interoperability is the key technology required to leverage the value of CRIS systems in our increasingly connected world. Since its foundation in 2002, euroCRIS has curated the Common European Research Information Format (CERIF) model and its associated developments as a paramount element towards interoperable systems and an essential part of its mission.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       The need to adapt CERIF to a more modular and evolvable structure has led to the decision to refactor CERIF. This move aims  to generate better processes that enable CERIF standardisation, certification and compliance. We want to address new challenges to best serve the needs of practitioners and industry, transferring knowledge and research that has accumulated over the years inside the euroCRIS community.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      For this purpose we are aiming to create a euroCRIS Technical Committee (TC) dealing with the decision-making process for the evolution of CERIF and associated technical products. This TC will also set the roadmap and strategy towards the widespread adoption of CERIF and its alignment with other relevant technologies, models and standards.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      The newly created TC will be composed by recognised technical experts, and will propose, assess and track particular projects and initiatives (funded by euroCRIS or external sponsors) as a means towards the overall aims of euroCRIS in setting up technical standards.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Requirements of nominees                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      As part of the process for setting up this Technical Committee, euroCRIS is now calling for nominations of recognised technical experts, both inside and outside the euroCRIS community , coming both from academia and industry, to serve as members of the new TC for a term of 3 years.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      The requirements the nominees for the TC must meet are the following ones:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
  • Experience and understanding of research information systems, with an awareness of their role and importance;  
  • General technical background in a computing related discipline (computer science, software engineering, IT, etc.) or relevant equivalent professional experience;  
  • Knowledge on the specifics of technologies related to interoperability, including formats, patterns and protocols for data interchange, along with modeling languages and systems for knowledge organisation.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Members of the TC are expected to be euroCRIS members, either institutional or personal. TC members may also become members once they join the Committee.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Commitment and responsibilities of TC members                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Members of the TC will be expected to meet regularly, at least bimonthly, via teleconferencing or other online means. Face-to-face meetings may also be occasionally held, especially at euroCRIS membership meetings and conferences.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Members of the TC will be expected to contribute to the following activities:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
  • Definition of the strategic aims of the TC in contributing to the euroCRIS mission  
  • Assessing how to best apply the available euroCRIS funding or any other external resources to support projects or initiatives that contribute to the goals defined above  
  • Evaluate and track the progress of projects, communities and other initiatives that may be relevant to the goals of euroCRIS in the technical dimensions of interoperability  
  • Eventual oversight of the processes around capacity building or product certification related to interoperability and technical standards  
  • Promoting euroCRIS work in relevant national and international standardisation initiatives, and executing the required steps towards standardization as a core goal of CERIF and euroCRIS
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               The TC is not expected to execute the actual work needed to evolve, improve or create technical artifacts, but to establish, oversee and assess the work of contractors or communities of practice, exercising the decision-making responsibility over CERIF and related technical artifacts. TC membership is therefore a pro bono professional work and not a job appointment.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 It should be noted that serving as a member of the TC is not compatible with being a contractor for the projects and pilots that will be funded via euroCRIS calls, since that would represent a clear case of conflict of interests.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                The TC and its relation to the CERIF TG and the existing CERIF model                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                The CERIF model will continue its evolution using the current practices and processes in parallel to the activity of the newly created TC up to the point that a viable refactored alternative is released as a replacement of the current model. Since this is not expected to happen in the short term, the CERIF Task Group will continue its regular work for the maintenance of CERIF in its current form until a decision is eventually made on how to proceed in the future.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               How to proceed in order to propose a nomination for the TC                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Please send us a message with the name, position and affiliation of the nominee to eurocris [at] eurocris.org.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                For more information on the work of this TC and the expected contributions of its members please contact euroCRIS Board member Miguel Angel Sicilia. No further info on these topics will be provided from our contact email address above. Thanks.