Building FAIR Metadata Mapping Model for Scientific Instruments in the Ukrainian Research Information System (URIS): Pathways to Recovery of Research Infrastructures

16 pages•Published: October 19, 2026

Abstract

Scientific instruments remain insufficiently represented as interoperable metadata entities within current CRIS implementations. This gap is particularly critical in conflict-affected research environments, where structured metadata is required not only for infrastructure visibility but also for damage assessment, recovery planning, and preservation of scientific capacity. Since the full-scale Russian invasion of February 2022, approximately 35% of Ukrainian research infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, including 251 units of scientific equipment. This paper presents results from an ongoing project investigating metadata requirements for scientific instruments within the Ukrainian research information ecosystem. Drawing on policy analysis, stakeholder requirements, and comparative assessment of CERIF, MERIL, PIDINST, OpenAIRE, and B2INST, the study identifies two systematic gaps: the absence of recovery-oriented metadata support across all examined systems, and insufficient instrument-level CRIS integration within URIS. In response, the project outlines a FAIR-aligned, CERIF-compatible conceptual framework representing scientific instruments as first-class CRIS entities and proposes a recovery-oriented metadata layer comprising six structured dimensions, operational status, damage classification, relocation history, software dependencies, recovery priority, and knowledge preservation. The framework will be empirically validated through a structured pilot implementation involving 60–100 instrument records from Ukrainian research institutions, planned for 2027.

Keyphrases: fair, interoperability, metadata governance, national cris, research infrastructures, research instruments and facilities, ukraine

In: Pablo de Castro and Joachim Schöpfel (editors). Proceedings of 17th International Conference on Current Research Information Systems, vol 5, pages 280-295.

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/GKJF
	https://doi.org/10.29007/flwb

BibTeX entry

@inproceedings{CRIS2026:Building_FAIR_Metadata_Mapping,
  author    = {Sabina Auhunas},
  title     = {Building FAIR Metadata Mapping Model for Scientific Instruments in the Ukrainian Research Information System (URIS): Pathways to Recovery of Research Infrastructures},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of 17th International Conference on Current Research Information Systems},
  editor    = {Pablo de Castro and Joachim Schöpfel},
  series    = {EPiC Series in Technology},
  volume    = {5},
  publisher = {EasyChair},
  bibsource = {EasyChair, https://easychair.org},
  issn      = {2516-2322},
  url       = {/publications/paper/GKJF},
  doi       = {10.29007/flwb},
  pages     = {280-295},
  year      = {2026}}

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