Expanded uptake and sustainable communities of use: JISC's role in shaping the UK e-Infrastructure for Research

Abstract

The JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee) has recently taken forward a set of ‘e-Infrastructure’ programme activities which directly build on the work arising from the UK e-Science Core Programme, and the OSI (Office of Science and Innovation) e-Infrastructure initiative. It has also been informed by European and international developments within the grid and e-research communities.

The vision for this programme of work follows the initial five-year investment in the UK e Science Infrastructure, which is being developed with the Research Councils and other partners to expand the uptake and effective use of e-infrastructure from early adopters and researchers across disciplines.

A particular focus in the proposed presentation concerns JISC’s role in addressing ways in which the UK Research community can be enabled to exploit e-infrastructure services, tools, and resources to support new capabilities and research practices, for example, through such initiatives as examining barriers to uptake and what needs to be resolved in order for e-infrastructure services to be better used.