Digitalisation is not only increasing the possibilities for collecting and processing data, but also raising the demands placed on the storage, reuse and publication of research data. The Ministry of Science (MKW) supports universities of applied sciences as part of the ‘Digital University NRW’ initiative by funding ‘scouts’ to help embed the topic of research data management (RDM) within the universities.
Digitalisation is not only expanding the possibilities for collecting and processing data, but also increasing the requirements for the storage, reuse and publication of research data. The Ministry of Science (MKW) is supporting universities of applied sciences as part of the Digital University NRW initiative by funding ‘scouts’ to help embed the topic of research data management (RDM) within these institutions.
Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences and Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences have jointly submitted a funding application to finance an RDM scout and have received approval. The joint concept developed by Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences and Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences is based on a minimum RDM standard provided internally by the institutions and an external programme of events and training sessions across NRW-wide events and training courses open to all higher education institutions in North Rhine-Westphalia, which are being developed in close consultation with the North Rhine-Westphalia state initiative fdm.nrw. The partly similar and partly complementary nature of the university partnership between Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences and Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences is being used as a model to find scalable and transferable solutions and ensures that the project content developed can be applied to other universities.
The creation of an FDM Scout post at both universities establishes a role entirely dedicated to the topic of research data management, which informs researchers, trains key disseminators, coordinates measures, acts as a point of contact for FDM Scouts at other higher education institutions, and keeps track of the activities of the state initiative fdm.nrw. The FDM Scout post will be funded for three years. The vacancy is to be advertised and filled as soon as possible.
Contact: Forschungsdaten@hochschule-rhein-waal.de or fdm@hs-duesseldorf.de
