FAIRfest: a celebration of FAIR
FAIRfest 2025 was more than just a conference—it was an engaging celebration of progress in FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) solutions and their growing impact on the European research landscape. Held on 20th and 21st February 2025 in The Hague, Netherlands, FAIRfest brought together experts, innovators, and passionate advocates for open science. Co-located with the 19th International Digital Curation Conference (IDCC25), the event became a melting pot of ideas, where the European FAIR community engaged with an international audience, sparking new collaborations and inspiring forward-thinking discussions.
The festival focused on the four fundamental pillars of FAIR:
- Findability: Persistent Identifiers & Knowledge Graphs
- Accessibility: Semantic Artefacts
- Interoperability: Breaking down technical, organisational, and legal barriers
- Reusability: Certification, metrics, and guidelines ensuring lasting impact
Each session was a deep-dive into each letter of FAIR, bringing them to life with real-world applications and compelling discussions:
The Findability session examined the role of Persistent Identifiers (PIDs) in improving research discoverability. Experts discussed the importance of PIDs in ensuring stable and unique references for digital objects, enhancing research visibility, and aligning with EOSC policies. The session also covered challenges and strategies related to the widespread adoption and implementation of PIDs across research domains.
The Accessibility session focused on the contributions of FAIR-IMPACT and FAIRCORE4EOSC towards advancing metadata, ontologies, mappings, and research software. Speakers discussed the integration of semantic artefacts to improve accessibility, the role of standards in ensuring machine-actionability, and ongoing efforts to streamline the use of metadata frameworks in open science.
The Interoperability session addressed the complexities of sharing research data across different domains. Discussions covered the technical, legal, and organisational challenges of interoperability, with an emphasis on improving cross-disciplinary data integration. Experts explored solutions such as common standards, frameworks, and best practices to facilitate seamless data exchange within the EOSC ecosystem.
The Reusability session posed an essential question: is adherence to FAIR principles enough to guarantee true reusability? The discussion introduced practical tools like the FAIR assessment metrics for software, the Compliance Assessment Toolkit, Research Software connector from InvenioRDM/Zenodo to Software Heritage, and semantic artefact reusability strategies. As the session unfolded, it became clear that the future of reusability goes beyond frameworks—it hinges on intuitive documentation, an improved user experience, and equipping researchers with the right skills to fully embrace FAIR.
One of the festival’s most interactive elements was the Adopters' Marketplace—a dynamic space where implementers of FAIR-enabling tools, methodologies, and best practices took centre stage. Attendees didn’t just listen; they engaged. Hands-on demonstrations of FAIRCORE4EOSC components sparked curiosity, while conversations with FAIR Champions, interoperability experts, and practitioners brought theoretical concepts to life through real-world examples and success stories.
FAIRfest 2025 wasn’t just about discussions—it was about action. With a carefully curated mix of plenary sessions and technical deep dives, the event kept momentum high. Keynote speeches ignited ideas, while case studies offered tangible proof of how FAIR principles are reshaping research. The audience was as diverse as it was engaged, from researchers and data practitioners to repository managers, open science advocates, and representatives of key EOSC and FAIR initiatives.
By the time FAIRfest 2025 drew to a close, it was clear: the festival didn’t just highlight progress; it inspired a renewed commitment to making research truly open, connected, and reusable for generations to come.
