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National training and community platform for data professionals Fieke Schoots, Madeleine de Smaele, Dorien Huijser, Marjan Grootveld, Celia van Gelder, Deborah Thorpe, Mijke Jetten, Shanmugasundaram Venkataraman 24 October 2025 | Open Science Festival 2025
Agenda Introduction RDNL project Training needs Discussion in groups Shared decision making Wrap-up
Introduction 30 September 2025
Research Data Netherlands •National coalition of data service providers and expertise networks •Mission: promote implementation and long-term sustainability of FAIR research data in the Netherlands •Training and expertise for data support staff / data professionals
10+ years of RDNL in a nutshell •Training: Essentials 4 Data Support oStarting data professionals who support researchers in storing, managing, archiving and sharing research data. oOnline only (free) // Full course (certificate) •Training: GDPR 4 Data Support oData professionals seeking a general understanding of the GDPR in research. oOnline only (free) // Full course (certificate) •Dutch Data Prize for FAIR data oEvery 2 years oSocial Sciences & Humanities, Natural & Engineering Sciences, Life Sciences & Health https://researchdata.nl/
Project: Training & Community platform (2025-2028) Aim: Increase capacity of research data professionals in NL to enable the transition to Open Science Outcomes: 1. Curriculum and training programme with certification for data professionals 2. Online space connecting training with the community of data professionals 3. Long-term plan for governance and sustainability
Data professionals, data stewards A superhero-representation of the core responsibilities of a Data Steward. The Turing Way project illustration by Scriberia (CC-BY 4.0). DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5706310. Data stewardship: "Course of action taken by a person or group to manage and supervise organisational data assets with responsibility and commitment. Good stewardship involves adequate care, making use of the FAIR principles, and holding ownership and regulation to provide high-quality data (including metadata), combining trust and ethical practice" CODATA RDM Terminology, https://terms.codata.org/rdmt/data-stewardship
Curriculum – what is it? “activities related to the design, organisation and planning of training for data professionals, including the definition of learning objectives, the content and formats of courses, methods for assessment of learners and evaluation of programmes as well as arrangements for training teachers and trainers” Requirements: •Align with University Job Classification (UFO) profile •Build on existing work / projects •Enable external trainings •Enable learning paths beyond the entry-level
Curriculum - approach The situation: •Trainings from RDNL: •Essentials 4 Data Support •GDPR 4 Data Support •Trainings from external training providers: •Learning objectives? •Content? •Format? •Assessment? Approach: •Competency framework (What): Boundaries of an RDNL curriculum •Training programme (How): Learning paths with trainings as building blocks •Training providers (Who) Collaborate with other training providers •Certification (When) Demonstrate to have the competencies
Exchange experiences Recall an example of a recent situation where a problem you encountered revealed a gap in your existing knowledge or skills Discuss with your neighbour 5 minutes (in total) Giphy, @dasding Giphy, @dasding
Write down your training needs (individual) 1. Summarise your need on a sticky note 2. Go to the category that best fits the scenario you just described and paste your sticky on it! 3. If relevant, add other training needs as well (also in other categories). Don’t be shy! It is ok if you are not in the exact right category ☺ max 10 minutes Competency areas: 1. RDM, FAIR, Open science 2. Research software management 3. Data infrastructure 4. Policy and governance 5. Legal and ethical responsibilities 6. Training and awareness raising 7. Transversal skills
Discuss training needs (groups) With the people in ‘your’ category: •Cluster training needs (if relevant) •Give each other tips: •How have others gained these skills? •Are there already relevant trainings? •Write on a sticky note. •Time left? Visit another category •Plenary summary per category 15 minutes Giphy, @masonrystudios
Prioritising needs (individual) Which training needs have priority for the community of data professionals? Dot voting: Paste 3 dot stickers on the training need(s) that you think deserve the highest priority max 10 minutes
Wrap-up
Recap This platform is for you! We will… •take your input into account in development of the training programme •collaborate with other training providers •ask for your input at many more stages of the project Giphy, @moodman
Get involved Do you want to: •Keep up-to-date? •Provide feedback on project outputs? •Contribute actively? 1. Sign yourself up 2. RDNL community event Save the date: Early 2026 3. Keep an eye out •https://researchdata.nl/ •RDM mailing lists •Etc. Giphy, @bakedlab
Thank you!