CESSDA EOSC Pilot Node
Empowering global scientific collaboration through seamless integration of social science research data into the European Open Science Cloud.
Learn moreOur Offer
CESSDA Data Catalogue
Search tens of thousands of social science research studies from European archives — FAIR-compliant, richly described, and freely accessible.
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Vocabulary Service
Search, browse and download controlled vocabularies in multiple languages — a cornerstone for interoperable and standardised research metadata.
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ELSST Thesaurus
The European Language Social Science Thesaurus — a broad-based multilingual thesaurus enabling cross-lingual and cross-national data discovery.
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CESSDA Node Endpoint
A fully configured EOSC-compatible node endpoint enabling federated discovery and machine-actionable access to CESSDA research products across Europe.
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EOSC Service Catalogue
Browse and discover our services through the CESSDA Marketplace. A dedicated CESSDA instance provides seamless integration with the EOSC ecosystem.
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Federated Support
Integrated helpdesk with bidirectional ticket federation between the EOSC helpdesk and CESSDA support — seamless assistance across the ecosystem.
Get supportAbout the Node
Mission
The CESSDA Pilot Node connects Europe's leading social science data infrastructure to the EOSC Pilot Node network, making high-quality research data FAIR, machine-actionable, and discoverable across borders.
By joining EOSC Beyond as a verified Pilot Node, CESSDA advances open science principles and demonstrates how established research infrastructures can federate into a cohesive European ecosystem.
Target Groups
- Researchers needing FAIR-compliant social science datasets from multiple European archives.
- Data Archives seeking interoperable tools and federated infrastructure.
- Research Institutions integrating data management into scientific workflows.
- Policy Makers requiring evidence-based access to curated social research.
- EOSC Participants exploring services and resources through the EOSC portal.
Key Functionalities
- Federated discovery of research products via EOSC Beyond Uer Space.
- Machine-actionable access to Exchange services.
- CESSDA instance of EOSC Service Catalogue.
- Bidirectional helpdesk ticket federation.
- Continuous service monitoring and validation metrics.
- EOSC Node Registry membership and compliance.
Case Study
Cross-border FAIR Data Access for Social Science Research
User profile
A social science researcher at a European university studying electoral behaviour across multiple EU member states, requiring access to harmonised survey datasets from archives in five different countries - complete with full metadata and usage rights documentation.
Problem and Solution
Previously, discovering and accessing cross-border datasets meant navigating separate national portals, contacting individual archives one by one, and reconciling incompatible metadata standards. The process was slow, error-prone, and lacked any machine-actionable access pathway.
Through the CESSDA Pilot Node - fully integrated into EOSC Beyond - the researcher discovered relevant datasets from five national archives in a single EOSC-federated search. Standardised CESSDA DDI metadata and machine-actionable exchange services enabled direct programmatic data access. Federated helpdesk support resolved access queries seamlessly across organisational boundaries.
Results
Datasets from 5 national archives discovered and accessed through a single EOSC-federated query
Machine-actionable API access significantly reduced data collection time and manual effort
CESSDA Node Endpoint validated against EOSC metrics - 100% compliance across all test criteria
Bidirectional helpdesk federation ensured seamless cross-organisational researcher support
EOSC Beyond
EOSC Beyond is a European project advancing the implementation of the European Open Science Cloud by connecting research infrastructures as federated pilot nodes. CESSDA joined as a pilot node in 2025, contributing its established social science data infrastructure to the EOSC ecosystem.
As an EOSC Beyond Pilot Node, CESSDA has successfully deployed a fully configured node endpoint, registered in the EOSC Node Registry, and demonstrated end-to-end integration across all key pilot activities - from service catalogue deployment to machine-actionable data access.
All CESSDA's planned integration activities were completed on schedule by March 2026, including bidirectional helpdesk federation, service monitoring, research product visibility testing, and node metrics validation.
Learn about EOSC Beyond
FAQ & Support
How do I access CESSDA services through EOSC?
What research data is available through the CESSDA Pilot Node?
How does the federated helpdesk work?
The CESSDA helpdesk is bidirectionally linked to the central EOSC Beyond helpdesk, so that an issue created in one can be seen and updated in the other.
What authentication is required to use CESSDA Node services?
In most cases, no authentication is requied. Authentication may be required to apply for access to restriced data held by CESSDA's partners.
Who can I contact for technical support?
Enter an issue in the CESSDA helpdesk.
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