ATRIUM Policy Brief

ATRIUM –Advancing Frontier Research in the Arts and Humanities Work Package WP1 Coordination and Project Management Deliverable D1.3 ATRIUM Policy Brief Funding Instrument: Horizon Europe Call: HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01 Call Topic: Research infrastructure services to support health research, accelerate the green and digital transformation, and advance frontier knowledge (2023) Project Start: 1 Jan 2024 Project Duration: 48 months Project Coordinator: DARIAH Document Identifier: 10.5281/zenodo.17788168 Funded by the European Union. Grant Agreement number 101132163. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Deliverable Information Action Number: 101132163 Action Acronym: ATRIUM Action title: Advancing FronTier Research In the Arts and hUManities Deliverable Number: D1.3 Deliverable Full Title: ATRIUM Policy Brief Document Identifier: D1.3-ATRIUM-Policy-Brief-25-12-31 Beneficiary in Charge: DARIAH Report Version: v1.0 Contractual Date: 31/12/2025 Report Submission Date: 09/12/2025 Dissemination Level: PU Nature: Report Lead Author(s): Toma Tasovac, Anne Baillot, Megan Black Reviewers: Guntram Geser, Julian Richards Keywords: research infrastructures, research evaluation, workflows, arts and humanities, digital humanities, policy recommendations Status: Final 101132163 — ATRIUM — HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01 Deliverable 1.3 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17788168 2 Table of Contents Deliverable Information.................................................................................................2 List of Abbreviations.....................................................................................................4 Change Log...................................................................................................................5 Executive Summary......................................................................................................6 1. Introduction...............................................................................................................8 1.1 Purpose and Scope of the Document..................................................................8 1.2 Structure of the Document................................................................................ 8 2. Policy Landscape...................................................................................................... 9 2.1 Revised European Charter for Access to Research Infrastructures (2024).......... 9 2.2 European Research Area (ERA) Policy Agenda 2025-2027..................................9 2.3 Horizon Europe 2028-2034.............................................................................. 10 2.4 ESFRI Directions............................................................................................. 10 2.5 European Open Science Cloud (EOSC)..............................................................10 3. ATRIUM Project.........................................................................................................11 3.1 Challenges for A&H Research Infrastructures....................................................11 3.2 What ATRIUM delivers......................................................................................12 4. Policy Recommendations.........................................................................................14 4.1 Reaffirm the foundational nature of curiosity-driven research.......................... 14 4.2 Make workflows first-class research outputs................................................... 14 4.3 Adopt the 2024 Revised Charter for Access to RIs across A&H......................... 15 4.4 Scale TNA and mobility to close widening gaps................................................ 15 4.5 Institutionalise fairer research assessment and open peer review....................16 4.6 Consolidate human capacity for open, sustainable A&H research.....................16 4.7 Mandate common data‑sharing policies across member states........................ 17 References..................................................................................................................18 Consortium................................................................................................................. 19 Research Infrastructures....................................................................................... 19 Beneficiaries..........................................................................................................19 Affiliated Entities.................................................................................................. 20 Disclaimer.............................................................................................................20 101132163 — ATRIUM — HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01 Deliverable 1.3 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17788168 3 List of Abbreviations A&H Arts and Humanities ATRIUM Advancing Transnational Research Infrastructures in the Arts and Humanities ARIADNE ARIADNE Research Infrastructure AISBL CLARIN Common Language Resources and Technology Infrastructure CoARA Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment DG Directorate-General DG CNECT Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology DG EAC Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture DG RTD Directorate-General for Research and Innovation DARIAH Digital Research Infrastructure for the Arts and Humanities DORA San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment EASSH European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities EC European Commission EOSC European Open Science Cloud ERA European Research Area ESFRI European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures EU European Union FAIR Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable FP10 10th EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (Horizon Europe 2028–2034) GLAM Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums 101132163 — ATRIUM — HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01 Deliverable 1.3 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17788168 4 HTR Handwritten Text Recognition IP Intellectual Property OCR Optical Character Recognition OPERAS Open Scholarly Communication in the European Research Area for Social Sciences and Humanities PID Persistent Identifier RI Research Infrastructure SF-DORA San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment SME Small and Medium Enterprises SSH Social Sciences and Humanities STEM Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics TNA Transnational Access Change Log Date Version Author/Editor Summary of Changes made 05/09/25 v0.1 Megan Black Draft report template and research 13/10/25 v0.2 Toma Tasovac Draft chapter outlines 07/11/25 v0.3 Megan Black Draft chapter on policy landscape 08/11/25 v0.4 Anne Baillot Draft chapter on the ATRIUM project 13/11/25 v0.5 Toma Tasovac Revise chapters 2 and 3; draft introduction and policy recommendations 25/11/25 v0.6 Gunter Geser, Julian Richards External Review 09/12/25 v1.0 Megan Black Submission 101132163 — ATRIUM — HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01 Deliverable 1.3 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17788168 5 Executive Summary ATRIUM brings together 30 partners from 12 countries, including four major European research infrastructures (RIs) — DARIAH, ARIADNE, CLARIN, and OPERAS — to strengthen the foundations of arts and humanities (A&H) research across Europe. The project tackles long-standing structural barriers in the RI landscape: fragmented access to resources, uneven interoperability, reproducibility gaps, undervaluation of non-traditional research outputs, and persistent inequalities across regions and languages. Funded by the European Commission, ATRIUM addresses these challenges through an integrated service and software catalogue, a catalogue of reusable workflows, an assessment framework for non-traditional research outputs aligned with the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA), and a transnational access (TNA) programme that expands skills and participation. To ensure that Europe can maintain an open, diverse and globally competitive A&H research ecosystem, this Policy Brief, aimed at European Union (EU) and national policymakers, research funders and research infrastructure leaders, proposes the following policy recommendations: 1. Reaffirm the foundational nature of curiosity-driven research. Embed a clear, programmatic statement in Horizon Europe 2028-34 and national RI strategies that fundamental, curiosity-driven A&H research is indispensable for a resilient, self-reflective and culturally diverse Europe. 2. Make workflows first-class research outputs. Require funded projects creating or using workflows to publish them FAIRly with PIDs, versioning and environment capture (e.g., containers), and to deposit them in discoverable registries (e.g., SSH Open Marketplace). Recognise workflows and workflow papers in evaluations, aligned with CoARA/DORA. 3. Adopt the 2024 Revised Charter for Access to RIs across A&H. Update institutional access policies to align with the Revised European Charter for Access to Research Infrastructures (2024), ensuring transparent, equitable access; clear cost models; continuity in crises; and proportionate research security by design. 4. Scale TNA and mobility to close widening gaps. Increase TNA funding for under-resourced languages/regions, continue to provide remote/hybrid options, and explicitly align TNA schemes with the ERA structural policies on attractive 101132163 — ATRIUM — HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01 Deliverable 1.3 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17788168 6 research careers and cross-border mobility. Where appropriate, explore synergies with Erasmus+ mobility actions (e.g., staff training, doctoral mobility) so that visits to RI TNA hosts can be recognised or co-funded through established EU mobility pathways. 5. Institutionalise fairer research assessment and open peer review. Promote CoARA‑aligned policies that recognise diverse research outputs (datasets, software, workflows, training); prioritise qualitative, expert judgement with responsible metrics; and support open peer‑review models that accommodate such outputs. 6. Consolidate human capacity for open, sustainable A&H research. Invest in long‑term roles (data stewards, workflow engineers, community curators), shared curricula (e.g. via DARIAH‑Campus), and ATRIUM‑style cross‑RI training measures aligned to EOSC and data‑space needs. Complement these with formalised career frameworks that describe role profiles, progression pathways and evaluation criteria that credit infrastructure work. 7. Mandate common data-sharing policies and rights clarity across Member States. Promote national adoption of interoperable, EOSC‑compatible policies (PIDs, machine-readable licences, and data rights management, including consent and ethics for sensitive data) so that Open Science ambitions translate into day-to-day, cross-border practices. 101132163 — ATRIUM — HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01 Deliverable 1.3 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17788168 7 1. Introduction 1.1 Purpose and Scope of the Document This brief provides targeted advice on how the ATRIUM project informs European, national and institutional policy for research infrastructures (RIs) serving the arts and humanities (A&H). It focuses on four persistent barriers: fragmented access, reproducibility, recognition of non-traditional research outputs and inequalities in access and skills, and outlines how ATRIUM addresses them through a consolidated service portfolio, reusable workflows, fairer assessment practices and transnational access. The intended audiences are the European Commission, particularly the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) and Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT), European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) bodies, national research ministries and funders, RI managers, and CoARA signatories. 1.2 Structure of the Document This document is organised as follows: Chapter 2 summarizes the policy landscape (Revised Access Charter 2024; European Research Area (ERA) Policy Agenda 2025-27; Horizon Europe orientations 2028-2034; ESFRI directions; and EOSC). Chapter 3 presents ATRIUM’s diagnosis of A&H challenges (3.1) and what the project delivers (3.2). Section 4 sets out seven concrete, actionable policy recommendations. 101132163 — ATRIUM — HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01 Deliverable 1.3 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17788168 8 2. Policy Landscape This chapter provides a brief overview of the policy landscape for research infrastructures in Europe. Recurring themes throughout are the importance of Open Science and better access to research through the interoperability of data and services, long-term data stewardship and the reform of research assessment. 2.1 Revised European Charter for Access to Research Infrastructures (2024) Building on the 2015 European Charter for Access to Research Infrastructures (European Commission 2015), the revised version reinforces the need for open and equitable access to services, metadata and results of publicly funded research across all research domains (European Commission 2024). A notable addition is the necessity of the continuity of access to RIs in times of crisis, such as pandemics or geopolitical disruptions, and calls for mechanisms that protect researchers and infrastructures from interruptions. Moreover, the 2024 Charter highlights the growing diversity of RI users, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and cross-sectoral actors, and the importance of designing access policies that are responsive to their needs. 2.2 European Research Area (ERA) Policy Agenda 2025-2027 As with the first ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024 (European Commission 2022), the Council Recommendation on the ERA Policy Agenda 2025-2027 (Council of the European Union 2025) outlines a strategic framework and three-year roadmap that directly affects the evolution of research infrastructures and the broader research ecosystem. Addressing systemic barriers and the challenges of artificial intelligence and research security, the latest agenda prioritises Open Science, EOSC, long-term data stewardship, and the reform of research assessment. The ERA agenda calls for coordinated support for persistent identifiers, data rights management, and shared access policies to ensure the reusability and transparency of research outputs. It also promotes a reform of research assessment practices under CoARA. These shifts are critical to enabling more inclusive and sustainable research careers, facilitating mobility, and improving access to high-quality research across Europe. 101132163 — ATRIUM — HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01 Deliverable 1.3 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17788168 9 Who should implement this? EC (DG RTD, DG EAC), national research funders, Erasmus+ National Agencies and higher-education international offices, RIs and host institutions. 4.5 Institutionalise fairer research assessment and open peer review Action: Promote CoARA‑aligned policies that recognise diverse research outputs (datasets, software, workflows, training); prioritise qualitative, expert judgement with responsible metrics; and support open peer‑review models that accommodate such outputs. Why this matters: Infrastructural labour remains structurally undervalued, providing little incentive for researchers to invest in sustainable data, software and workflows. Open peer review enhances transparency, accountability and trust, while enabling richer, contextualised assessment of complex, non-traditional outputs. ATRIUM’s framework provides ready‑to‑use criteria that are immediately implementable. Who should implement this? Universities and research-performing organisations; RI host institutions; research funders; scholarly publishers and journals. 4.6 Consolidate human capacity for open, sustainable A&H research Action: Invest in long‑term roles (data stewards, workflow engineers, community curators), shared curricula (e.g. via DARIAH‑Campus), and ATRIUM‑style cross‑RI training measures aligned to EOSC and data‑space needs. Complement these with formalised career frameworks that describe role profiles, progression pathways and evaluation criteria that credit infrastructure work. Why this matters: The interoperability of research resources and reproducibility of research rely on people and skills, not only platforms. Without stable expertise to curate data, document and maintain workflows, manage PIDs and rights, and support RI user communities, FAIR/EOSC compliance will stall. Moreover, knowledge will continue to be repeatedly lost through staff turnover, deepening inequalities between well-resourced institutions and those without specialist roles. Consolidating human capacity turns one-off project investments into enduring RI capabilities while supporting ERA goals for attractive, sustainable research careers. 101132163 — ATRIUM — HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01 Deliverable 1.3 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17788168 16 Who should implement this? EC; Member States; RIs and repositories; universities as well as Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAMs). 4.7 Mandate common data‑sharing policies and rights clarity across member states Action: Promote national adoption of interoperable, EOSC‑compatible policies (PIDs, machine-readable licences, and data rights management, including consent and ethics for sensitive data) so that Open Science ambitions translate into day-to-day, cross-border practices. Why this matters: Fragmented national policies and unclear rights regimes create friction and uncertainty in reusing data across borders and sectors. GLAM institutions face complex intellectual property (IP)/privacy decisions, and infrastructure providers struggle to integrate heterogeneous rights information into interoperable discovery systems. Harmonised PID and rights policies reduce legal and administrative burdens, facilitate automation and discovery, and enable researchers to work confidently with cross-border, multilingual A&H data. Who should implement this? EC & Member States; RIs; repositories; research funders. 101132163 — ATRIUM — HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01 Deliverable 1.3 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17788168 17 References Council of the European Union. 2025. “Council Recommendation on the European Research Area Policy Agenda 2025–2027 (C/2025/3593).” http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/3593/oj. Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. 2025. “Horizon Europe 2028–2034: Twice Bigger, Simpler, Faster and More Impactful.” https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/news/all-research-and-innovation-news/horizo n-europe-2028-2034-twice-bigger-simpler-faster-and-more-impactful-2025-07-16_en. EASSH. 2025. “Society” in FP10 Proposal is for Research on Society: Position Paper. https://eassh.eu/Position-Papers/Society-in-FP10-proposal-is-for-research-on-society~p1407 . ESFRI. 2017. Activities and Procedural Guidelines for the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (Revision March 2017). https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/document/download/29c7e67d-bded-4ee8-b90 d-4992804bb5d5_en. ESFRI. 2018. Strategy Report on Research Infrastructures. https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/document/download/bc70e229-8add-4c9f-83b 6-ac4748e386f8_en. European Commission. 2015. European Charter for Access to Research Infrastructures: Principles and Guidelines for Access and Related Services. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/524573. European Commission. 2022. European Research Area Policy Agenda: Overview of Actions for the Period 2022–2024. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/52110. European Commission. 2024. European Charter for Access to Research Infrastructures: Principles and Guidelines for Access and Related Services (Revised 2024). https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/8299402. European Commission. 2025. Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council Establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for the Period 2028–2034… COM(2025) 543. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52025PC0543. Gouzi, F., Baillot, A., Tasovac, T., Bénière, S., Delmazo, C., Garnett, V. 2025. ATRIUM Peer Review Framework. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17787916. SSH Open Marketplace. n.d. Workflows Related to ATRIUM [Search results]. Accessed November 21, 2025. https://marketplace.sshopencloud.eu/search?order=score&q=atrium&categories=workflow. Tasovac, T., Romary, L., Tóth-Czifra, E., Ackermann, R. C., Alves, D., et al. 2023. The Role of Research Infrastructures in the Research Assessment Reform: A DARIAH Position Paper. https://hal.science/hal-04136772. 101132163 — ATRIUM — HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01 Deliverable 1.3 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17788168 18 Consortium Research Infrastructures Beneficiaries 101132163 — ATRIUM — HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01 Deliverable 1.3 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17788168 19 Affiliated Entities Disclaimer All information provided reflects the status of the ATRIUM project at the time of writing and may be subject to change. Neither the ATRIUM Consortium as a whole, nor any single party within the ATRIUM Consortium warrant that the information contained in this document is capable of use, nor that the use of such information is free from risk. Neither the ATRIUM Consortium as a whole, nor any single party within the ATRIUM Consortium accepts any liability for loss or damage suffered by any person using the information. This document does not represent the opinion of the European Community, and the European Community is not responsible for any use that might be made of its content. Funded by the European Union. Grant Agreement number 101132163. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. © 2024 by the authors, the ATRIUM consortium. This work is licensed under a “CC BY 4.0” license. 101132163 — ATRIUM — HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01 Deliverable 1.3 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17788168 20