Karel Luyben (Rector Magnificus Emeritus of Delft University of Technology) has been elected the first President of the EOSC Association following a nomination supported by our association in response to an open call for candidates.
Letters of Endorsements for his nomination were issued by the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA), the European University Association (EUA), the League of European Research Universities (LERU), Science Europe and The Guild.
Karel Luyben said: “It is truly an honour to be elected the first President of the EOSC Association. In my role as Chair of the EOSC Executive Board I have had the great pleasure to work with a community that is as vibrant as it is diverse. Looking back on what we have achieved in Europe by working together - with the EOSC Declaration as an important milestone in 2017 - makes me proud to be part of this EOSC community. While recognising how far we have come, it is also clear that grand opportunities lie ahead.
The EOSC will enable a trusted, virtual, federated environment in Europe to store, share and re-use research data across borders and scientific disciplines on a scale that has never been possible before. We will bring together institutional, national and European initiatives and engage all relevant stakeholders to co-design and deploy a European Research Data Commons where data are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR).
This European contribution to a ‘Web of FAIR Data and Related Services for Science’ will enhance the possibilities for researchers to find, share and reuse data, software and publications leading to new insights and innovations, higher research productivity and improved reproducibility in science.
The significance of achieving this cannot be overstated and goes far beyond just the ‘sum of the parts’ (which is substantial in itself). All big challenges that face humankind need approaches that connect researchers and innovators seamlessly across disciplines, sectors and borders. To accomplish this, combining and connecting data (interoperability in the broadest sense) is more than an enabler and facilitator, it is foundational; a cornerstone for our next steps ahead as a research and innovation community.
I humbly received all the endorsements and statements of support from the broader research and innovation community, including from ALLEA, EUA, LERU, Science Europe, and The Guild, and I look forward to working with all of you and to serve you as the first President of the EOSC Association.”
Karel Luyben’s Presidency starts on 18 December 2020 and his term is for two years.