OpenWebSearch.EU launches first call
dr Megi Sharikadze – Leibniz Computer Center (LRZ)
OpenWebSearch.EU – a consortium of 14 European research and data centers – invites external partners to contribute to an Open Web Search Infrastructure (OWI) based on European values. The first call is aimed in particular at potential new business and research partners who can submit their applications on two main topics from March 1st to April 28th, 2023.
“We look forward to new partners joining us to advance an Open Web Index – a goal we are working towards across Europe. This call for projects is intended to expand our spectrum and enrich research activities for the Internet of tomorrow,” says Stefan Voigt, Chairman of the Open Search Foundation (OSF).
In particular, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or start-ups, individual innovators or researchers and research teams are invited to submit project proposals. Applicants should conduct research in areas that are closely linked to the topics of the OpenWebSearch.EU project. The aim is that they enrich existing research activities as well as introduce new ones that are in line with the project goals.
“Building an Open Web Index is not just a technical challenge. Legal and social aspects must also be taken into account, especially when we think of the latest EU legislation such as the Digital Services Act or the Digital Markets Act,” says Dr. Megi Sharikadze, Team Leader: Research Coordination and Support, Advisor for EU Research Funding at the Leibniz Computing Center (LRZ), one of the consortium partners. She is responsible for the call.
Therefore, the project consortium calls for contributions in two areas:
Track 1 concerns studies on legal or economic aspects of open search. This ranges from legal restrictions and requirements for crawling, storing, enriching or sharing of web data to cost-benefit analyzes of a pan-European open web index infrastructure to studies of market potential and economic impact.
Track 2 deals with technical concepts for legally compliant data collection and processing, taking into account social requirements. This includes contributions such as vocabularies, metadata schemata or ontologies for formulating and defining the legal framework for web use, but also open data sets and machine learning models for the analysis of websites.
In this first of three calls, financing from EUR 25,000 to EUR 120,000 can be raised for a period of up to 12 months. Consortium members as well as external experts will assess the applications. Individuals and organizations based in EU member states or countries associated with Horizon Europe are eligible to apply. The third-party funded projects are funded as part of the OpenWebSearch.eu joint program. All of the new partners will be an integral part of the ongoing and future R&D activities of the open web search community.
Applications are accepted by email.
All details are available for download here: https://openwebsearch.eu/call1
about the project
With OpenWebSearch.EU, the EU is funding a project for the first time that aims to get the web search of tomorrow going. 14 partner institutions – including the Open Search Foundation (OSF) – started in September 2022. Over the next three years, the researchers will primarily develop the core of a European Open Web Index (OWI). The project is funded with 8.5 million euros from the EU research framework program Horizon Europe (Agreement No. 101070014).
Over horizon Europe
Horizon Europe is the EU’s main funding program for research and innovation. It aims to build a knowledge- and innovation-based society and a competitive economy, while promoting sustainable development. The program contributes to the implementation of the guidelines of the European Commission.
The Open Search Foundation e.V. is a European movement to create the foundation for independent, free and self-determined access to information on the Internet. In cooperation with research institutions, computer centres and other partners, we’re committed to searching the web in a way that benefits everyone.
Motto: „Together for a Better Net“.
company contact
Open Search Foundation e.V. – OSF
Christine Plote
Münchner Straße 15 a
82319 Starnberg
+4981519719372
[email protected]
https://opensearchfoundation.org
Press contact
Open Search Foundation e.V. – OSF
Andrea Schmoelzer
Riedener Weg 41
82319 Starnberg
+498151773773
[email protected]
https://opensearchfoundation.org