COSMOS

Smart Metadata Manifesto

Data is a major asset for all organizations, and this is particularly true in Official Statistics.

In Europe, the European strategy for data aims at creating a single market for data that will ensure global competitiveness and data sovereignty.

Internationally, the Open Data Charter aims at enabling open data to support transparent, accountable, efficient and effective public and private sectors.

Globally, the FAIR movement aims at making data easier to find and use.

Many other initiatives embrace the same goals accross the world of scientific and policy research.

All these support the Open Science vision of open publication and access to scientific knowledge to enable collaborative networks at all levels of society.

But realisation comes soon that data is unusable without metadata and that the FAIR principles actually boil down to requirements on metadata:

interoperable and linked concepts
standardized description and representation of data
cataloging and data search

We need metadata that are:

standard: they can be understood and used everywhere
active: they are machine-actionable and drive the statistical process
FAIR: they make data findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable

Rich metadata explain what data are and what they can do; they enhance data quality and usability.

We propose to brand these “Smart Metadata”.

The COSMOS conference is a place for the Official Statistics community to envision how to best define, share, use and manage smart metadata, to fully realize data’s potential.