A shared vision for the future of data-intensive science in Europe - SPECTRUM Final Event Report
A shared vision for the future of data-intensive science in Europe
Brussels, June 3rd 2026
The SPECTRUM project officially concluded its 2.5-year journey on June 3rd, 2026. To present the final results of this collaboration, leading scientific experts and e-Infrastructure providers gathered at the ARC Square in Brussels to present the final deliverables: the Strategic Research, Innovation, and Deployment Agenda (SRIDA) and the Technical Blueprint (TB). Here’s what happened:
Keynote speakers
The meeting opened with strategic insights into the escalating computing demands of data-intensive research and the architecture required to support a seamless European data ecosystem:
- Sergio Andreozzi, SPECTRUM Project Director (EGI Foundation), opened the meeting by outlining the project’s long-term vision and legacy.
- Pantelis Tziveloglou, EOSC Team Lead (DG RTD, European Commission) delivered a keynote on establishing a Common European Data Space for Research through the deployment of the EOSC.
- Prof. Dr. Estela Suarez (FZJ/JSC & UniBonn, EuroHPC) presented a roadmap for Europe’s post-exascale future, highlighting the necessity of integrating HPC, cloud networks, and quantum computing into a heterogeneous infrastructure.
Discussion panels
The core deliverables of the project were discussed in detail during dedicated panel sessions with their experts behind it:
- Technical Blueprint Session: Representatives from ASTRON, UCL, CERN, INFN, FZJ, CINECA, and EGI evaluated the practical computing architectures required to sustain High-Energy Physics workloads.
- SRIDA Session: Experts from CERN, INFN, LOFAR ERIC, CNRS, EGI Foundation, FZJ, PRACE, and the European Commission discussed long-term strategic roadmaps for Radio Astronomy and broader European e-infrastructures.
Despite travel disruptions forcing a last minute hybrid format for the panelists, the sessions were praised for providing concrete use cases and a clearly defined roadmap for leveraging the European data continuum.
The next steps
Overall, the closing event provided a comprehensive overview of the project’s outcomes, presenting a clear roadmap that effectively addresses the escalating demands of data-intensive science. Feedback from attendees highlighted the practical value of the Technical Blueprint and SRIDA, as they demonstrated how to leverage a continuous, federated computing environment. Moreover, the scientific community emphasized that maintaining this momentum will require sustained, structured engagement between research networks, infrastructure providers, and funding agencies.
Ultimately, the event solidified SPECTRUM’s legacy as an important framework for cross-domain interoperability, ensuring Europe remains at the forefront of scientific innovation.
You can watch the full recording of the event here.
Both landmark documents are now officially available in print and digital formats via Zenodo.
