This episode of Inside EOSC features Klaus Tochtermann, president of the EOSC Association and director of ZBW. The discussion traces Klaus’s early work in hypermedia in the mid-1990s, his move into digital libraries, and his long involvement in shaping what would become the European Open Science Cloud. He reflects on the shift from traditional library practice to large-scale digital infrastructures, and how this has altered both research behaviour and expectations.

We explore how open science has changed over three decades, touching on social media’s early promise for scholarly communication, the relationship between FAIR data principles and broader questions of openness, and the challenge of maintaining trust in a climate shaped by geopolitical tensions around data. Klaus explains why data sovereignty has become central to Europe’s approach, and why sustainable funding and meaningful involvement of researchers are essential for EOSC’s future.

He also outlines how EOSC might act as a model beyond Europe, and the difficult negotiations ahead as the next Framework Programme takes shape. He describes the need for deeper interaction between scientific infrastructures and industry, noting both mutual interests and the barriers that remain. The episode offers a reflective look at Klaus’s career of building new institutions and his thoughts on where science, technology and policy may be heading next, all framed by his commitment to openness, interdisciplinarity and practical support for researchers across Europe.

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