Distributed System of Scientific Collections

1,5 billion specimens. 5,000 scientists. 200+ institutions. 23 countries

… in 1 European collection.

DiSSCo

A world-class Research Infrastructure

The Distributed System of Scientific Collections is a new world-class Research Infrastructure (RI) for Natural Science Collections. The DiSSCo RI aims to create a new business model for one European collection that digitally unifies all European natural science assets, sharing common access, curation, policies and practices across countries while ensuring that all the data complies with the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable data).

 

DiSSCo enters its Transition Phase

DiSSCo -the largest ever formal agreement between natural history museums, botanic gardens and university collections in the world- enters in 2024 its Transitional Phase, an exciting 18-month prelude to the final Construction stage that will culminate with DiSSCo becoming an ERIC (European Research Infrastructure Consortium).

Stay up to date!

DiSSCo FAIR Playbook

15th October 2024DiSSCo has just made public its FAIR Research Data Management Playbook, designed...

DiSSCo and other European Research Infrastructures

DiSSCo bridges a fundamental gap in the landscape of European RIs. Find out more here.

DiSSCo services

DiSSCo is all about services. It will create a unique access point for integrated data analysis and interpretation through a wide array of digital services provided by its community. 

Understanding DiSSCo

DiSSCo-linked projects (2018-23)

Building a Research Infrastructure is a very complex task. For this reason, since its inception n 2018, DiSSCo has relied on other partner organizations who, through their own projects, have addressed specific parts of the Research Infrastructure.

DiSSCo Prepare

DiSSCo officially launched its preparatory phase in February 2020 with DiSSCo Prepare, the primary vehicle through which DiSSCo will reach the overall readiness necessary for its construction and eventual operation.

Understanding DiSSCo

DiSSCo is a RI in progress

DiSSCo Prepare has allowed the DiSSCo community achieve an optimum Implementation Readiness Level (IRL) in the technical, data, financial, scientific and organisational dimensions of the future Research Infrastructure. DiSSCo Transition will serve as a time for consolidating DiSSCo’s maturity in all these areas, prior to embark on the final Construction Phase of the Research Infrastructure in 2025.

Changes in DiSSCo’s governance and funding will be running parallel with its progressive completion of these development phases.

Understanding DiSSCo

A young but mature initiative

DiSSCo RI is a young initiative but it builds on the expertise, maturity and cohesiveness of the scientific community where it took shape: CETAF the Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities, in operation since 1996. Representing more than 80% of the world’s described species, CETAF’s collections lie at the core of DiSSCo’s data basis providing millions of specimens of animals, plants, fungi, rocks and genetic resources.

DiSSCo LABS

An open door to DiSSCo’s Technical developments