Success story: eLTER service portfolio takes shape

As part of eLTER's journey to find hosts for core and several other services that are part of the adopted SRI 12+ scenario (implementation of a skeleton eLTER RI with at least 12 member countries), eLTER conducted a second call for Expressions of Interest (EoI) between 7 February and 15  April 2024. In this call, EoIs had to be mandated by the institutional directorate or a higher funding authority (e.g. a ministerial representative) to approach binding commitments as a basis for sustainable eLTER service delivery. 

From the second EoI call, eLTER received an overwhelming total of 22 EoIs from different institutions in 14 countries, underlining the strong interest from the directorates of many renowned institutions across Europe in contributing to the eLTER RI. 95% of all core and other services are now covered, which is an excellent basis for the upcoming co-design process. 

Co-design refers both to the alignment of eLTER requirements (in particular with the eLTER cyberinfrastructure and across services and future Topic Centres) with the interests and capabilities of the service host, and to co-designing the service with future users to ensure service uptake. The eLTER Service Portfolio Team will now work with those interested institutions on the co-design of the services to ensure a seamless transition between the eLTER project and ERIC phases, enabling an operational ERIC and maximising its impact at an early stage.  

Two outcomes of the co-design process are the extended service specification for each service, and the joint formation of potential Topic Centres that comprise several functionally related services. Once agreements are reached on Topic Centre services and contributing institutions, the respective Topic Centre consortia will submit applications to the Service Hosting Call for Topic Centres that is currently being prepared by eLTER. The call is expected to open in late summer 2024.