Source: Freepik
On May 11, 2022, it was once again time for the monthly open meeting of the RDM network. Around 70 data stewards, RDM managers and those interested in RDM at RWTH Aachen University came together online via Zoom. This time, the main topic was research funding with a focus on the innovations and requirements of the DFG for RDM.
Management of Third-Party Funds at RWTH Aachen
In the first part of the meeting, Dr. Vera Eckers and Florian Claus presented the tasks and goals of Division 4.2 for the management of third-party funds as well as the central RDM structures at RWTH Aachen University. This department informs and advises RWTH researchers about the German and European research landscape, public and private funding bodies and their funding programmes or opportunities.
Division 4.2 has various areas of focus, including DFG Individual Research Grants, Research Training Groups and Collaborative Research Centres. With regard to the Individual Research Grants, the DFG’s most flexible funding instrument, the Division for the management of third-party funds offers, for example, information events, writing workshops and quick checks of proposals. Further support services are being planned, as the department would like to motivate as many researchers as possible to apply for non-cash grants.
For the coordinated programmes, there is increased support from the university. The department not only advises and supports applicants throughout the entire application process, but also serves as an interface to establish contact with other agencies such as the RDM. In addition, strategic advice is available from persons with application experience and financial support is available from the acquisition fund.
Here, the central RDM team also supports with different possibilities such as training, infrastructure, open exchange and also with the application of funds for the RDM in order to set up the data management in the projects well.
Innovation and requirements of the DFG on RDM
Dr. Katja Hartig from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) then spoke about the implementation of binding requirements for the handling of research data in DFG funding procedures. She explained the background and challenges that made it necessary to adapt the regulations. In the previous Guidelines on the Handling of Research Data (2015), the expectations of applicants and professional societies were more like an appeal, which is why some things were accepted in the application. In the meantime, however, many answers are no longer sufficient. The increasing importance of the RDM, the revision of the Code of Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice, the development of the NFDI and the associated demand for the use of the structures that have been created are just a few of the reasons for this.
From the point of view of the funders, the main challenges in practical implementation are the great differences in expertise, legal aspects, the bundling of the players and the methodological competence of all participants, which can be developed further. The DFG sees possible solutions in increased commitment (e.g. self-commitment of the scientific community) as well as an increase in competencies, appreciation and visibility. The DFG checklist is intended to support these approaches. In addition, the DFG has designed a new information page. Afterwards, Dr. Katja Hartig answered questions about subject-specific guidelines, DFG-certified repositories and the availability of text templates for individual research grants, among other things.
Now it is getting serious
The transition period during which applications can be accepted according to the old application guidelines ends on May 31, 2022. The changes will be implemented in all funding procedures with a work programme (Walter Benjamin Programme; Emmy Noether Programme and all coordinated programmes).
The next open meeting of the RDM network – Save the Date
Date: June 08, 2022
Time: 10am to 12 noon
Location: Zoom – Registration
Learn more
If you also want to become a part of the RDM network at RWTH, then subscribe to the mailing list “DataStewards@RWTH”. If you have any questions about the RDM Network Meeting or RDM in general, just write a message to the ServiceDesk. The RDM team looks forward to hearing from you.
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Responsible for the content of this article are Sophia Nosthoff and Daniela Hausen.
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