Open Scientific Collections Austria (OSCA)—from concept to workflows

The Open Scientific Collections Austria (OSCA) consortium consists of 14 museums, universities, and scientific institutions in Austria holding outstanding scientific collections. These collections document Earth’s biological and geological diversity and serve as essential resources for research on global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental change. Despite recent advances in digitization, large portions of collection data remain inaccessible due to limited funding and technical capacity. OSCA aims to mobilize, harmonize, and provide Austria’s natural science collection data based on the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable). By building a shared infrastructure, the consortium fosters collaboration among institutions and ensures the long-term preservation and accessibility of valuable scientific data. This paper outlines the structure and objectives of the OSCA consortium, introduces its participating institutions, and presents its cooperative model and data infrastructure. Unlocking Austria’s natural science collections and metadata by integrating them into an interconnected virtual information system transforms them into a dynamic and powerful research tool. This approach enhances the visibility and usability of Austria’s scientific heritage and enables interdisciplinary research with significant scientific, societal, and economic relevance.