One year after Poland joined the EOSC Federation, cooperation between EOSC nodes has entered a new stage of development. On behalf of the Polish EOSC Node, the Director of the National Science Centre, Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that formalises Poland’s participation in building the European Open Science ecosystem. The MoU underscores the country’s role in shaping a coherent, digital research environment across Europe.
Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak signing Memorandum of Understanding of EOSC Federation
The Polish EOSC Node, which is coordinated by the National Science Centre, comprises the Academic Computer Centre CYFRONET of the AGH University of Science and Technology, the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical and Computational Modelling at the University of Warsaw, and the Gdańsk University of Technology.
The document, first signed by the President of the EOSC Association, Klaus Tochtermann, during the EOSC Symposium in Brussels in November 2025, sets out the framework for the operation and collaboration of national, thematic, and e-infrastructure nodes, forming a coherent ecosystem of data, digital tools, and research services in Europe.
For Poland, signing the MoU represents both a distinction and a responsibility. The Polish EOSC National Node (EOSC-PL), as one of the first nodes within the EOSC Federation, co-creates the foundations of the European community of research data and services. This increases the visibility and accessibility of Polish research resources across Europe, while at the same time serving as a point of access for Polish researchers to European open science resources.
As emphasised by Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak, Director of the National Science Centre, “The signing of the Memorandum marks a genuine opening of a new stage in European cooperation. Through the EOSC Federation, Polish researchers will be full participants in the European research ecosystem.”
The signing of the MoU aligns with EU strategic initiatives, including the development of the European Research Area (ERA) and the European Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Science, and confirms the importance of open science resources and inter-institutional cooperation in Europe.
National Science Centre co-creates the Polish node of the European Open Science Cloud
On 15 January 2026, the National Science Centre signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalising the establishment of the Polish National Node of the European Open Science Cloud — EOSC Poland. On behalf of the NCN, the MoU was signed by Krzysztof Jóźwiak, Director of the National Science Centre.
The MoU reinforces cooperation between the National Science Centre, the Academic Computer Centre CYFRONET AGH, the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical and Computational Modelling at the University of Warsaw, and the Gdańsk University of Technology.
“For researchers, it is essential to feel confident that they can share data securely,” emphasised Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak, Director of the National Science Centre. “EOSC provides a framework in which openness does not imply a loss of control, but rather conscious and responsible research data management.”
The MoU provides for joint action to integrate national research resources with the European EOSC infrastructure.
Open science in practice
The European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) is an initiative designed to create an open, digital research environment for researchers across Europe. It facilitates secure access to repositories and research data, cloud services, and advanced analytical tools in accordance with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles.
National, thematic, and e-infrastructure nodes play a central role in this ecosystem, collectively forming the EOSC Federation. The task of EOSC Poland is to create a framework that ensures the seamless integration of Polish research resources with the European Open Science Cloud, enhances their accessibility and interoperability, and facilitates their reuse by researchers in Poland and internationally.
NCN in the EOSC
Since 2021, by decision of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the NCN has coordinated the development of EOSC in Poland and served as a delegate to the EOSC Steering Board.
The EOSC Federation operates under the co-programmed European Partnership, established under an agreement between the European Commission and the EOSC Association from 2021.
Since 2021, the NCN has also coordinated the work of the EOSC PL Network, which brings together 30 institutions involved in the development of open science in Poland. The National Science Centre actively contributes to EOSC Federation working groups and to the development of its organisational and technical structures.
EOSC Poland works to provide Polish researchers with a digital ecosystem for innovative research, offering seamless access to pan-European scientific resources, including high-quality research data, modern analytical platforms, repositories, and services that foster open and interdisciplinary collaboration. Ultimately, researchers are the primary beneficiaries of these efforts.
The EOSC Federation has been developed within the EOSC co-programmed partnership, implemented jointly by the European Commission and the EOSC Association since 2021.
More information on the EOSC Federation: https://eosc.eu/building-the-eosc-federation
Test version of the EOSC-PL National Node platform: eosc.pl