The Slovak government has approved the updated Action Plan of the National Strategy for Research, Development, and Innovation (NS RDI) for 2026–2028. This strategic document brings important news for the Slovak scientific environment, with targeted support for research infrastructures being one of its key priorities. For national consortia that are part of the European ESFRI networks – which includes DARIAH-SK – this is a key step toward ensuring their sustainability, competitiveness, and further growth.

The approved Action Plan of the NS RDI for 2026–2028 represents the primary framework for directing scientific and innovative capacities in Slovakia over the coming years. A significant part of this document consists of measures aimed at the systematic support for building, modernizing, and operating research infrastructures, through which the state formally confirms their indispensable role in modern data-driven research.

Why is this step crucial for DARIAH-SK and other ESFRI infrastructures?

The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) brings together excellent European scientific facilities and distributed platforms, including the pan-European DARIAH ERIC network. The successful integration of Slovak institutions into such elite structures cannot succeed without strong institutional and financial backing at the national level.

The updated Action Plan implements measures that create more predictable conditions for the functioning of national nodes. For participating institutions, this primarily means:

  • Strengthening sustainability and stability: Creating a systematic and long-term support model for Slovak consortia participating in European research infrastructures.
  • Development of digital and human capacities: Opportunities for the systematic building of expert teams, data curators, and the advancement of technological digital repositories or analytical tools.
  • Deeper international integration: Streamlining the involvement of Slovak science in international projects, sharing know-how, and making research data accessible in accordance with open science principles and international FAIR standards.

For the national DARIAH-SK consortium, which was established in the summer of last year and which successfully achieved the status of a full member in the European DARIAH ERIC infrastructure as of February 1, 2026, the approval of this plan comes at a pivotal moment. It creates the necessary national framework for institutions in the humanities and social sciences in Slovakia to fully develop digital research methodologies and actively contribute to innovations in Digital Humanities at the European level.

The adoption of the Action Plan of the NS RDI 2026–2028 sends a clear signal that the state perceives European research infrastructures as the backbone of high-quality and modern science.

📌 The full document Update of the Action Plan of the National Strategy for Research, Development, and Innovation for 2026–2028 is available for review on the website of the Research and Innovation Authority (VAIA).