URV hosts the FAIR Data 2026 Fair with 150 attendees and innovative presentations
150 people gathered at the URV Paraninfo to participate in the FAIR Data 2026 Fair, a space that grows every year and places the management and reuse of scientific data at the center of the debate.
This meeting held on June 18 in Tarragona brought together Catalan universities and research centers to exchange experiences and practical solutions regarding research data.
Organization and news of the FAIR Data 2026 Fair
Collaboration between local and Catalan institutions
The Fair is driven by the Consortium of University Services of Catalonia (CSUC) and the Rovira i Virgili University, with the participation of leading institutes such as ICAC, IPHES, ICIQ, IRB Catalunya Sud, and IRTA. This partnership ensures a shared perspective on data management in the province of Tarragona and throughout Catalonia.
Flash presentations, the main highlight of the edition
For the first time, the Fair has incorporated Flash presentations: brief and concise presentations that allowed 13 researchers to showcase challenges and successes in implementing the FAIR principles (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable data).
This format has been very well received, facilitating a quick debate on issues such as keyword standardization, sensitive data management, or interoperability in scientific projects.
Discussions and outstanding presentations in Tarragona
Roundtable on data management in the region
Moderated by Josep Maria Macias (ICAC), the table brought together experts such as Amèlia Bargalló (IPHES) and Josep Domingo (URV) who highlighted the need for more institutional support and tools to manage data throughout its life cycle.
They emphasized that sharing data is not only a technical matter but an opportunity to boost research and gain recognition within and beyond the territory.
Inaugural and closing presentations with a local focus
Josep Perelló, full professor at UB, opened the day with a speech on the challenges of citizen science and the quality of open data, a key topic for the scientific community of Tarragona and Catalonia.
The closing was led by Núria Benítez (CERCA) and Mireia Alcalá (CSUC), who reviewed 10 years of work in open science and announced that the next edition will be at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
FAIR Awards and the future of data management in Tarragona
Awards recognizing scientific excellence
The public awarded four projects among the Flash presentations, rewarding innovation in standardization, access to digital data, and interoperability. Among the winners were researchers from ICAC and IRTA, institutions based in the province.
A clear commitment to open and collaborative research
The final dialogue highlighted the importance of connecting infrastructures and digital identifiers to make research more accessible and traceable. Initiatives such as EOSC and ORCID are key for a more open scientific future, also in Tarragona.
The FAIR Data 2026 Fair made it clear that data management and reuse is both a challenge and an opportunity for local research, with an impact that will leave no one indifferent.
Source of the article: Rovira i Virgili University
