ELN@RWTH: eLabFTW on Its Way to Becoming a Standard
Source: Own illustration
Research data is the foundation of modern science, and its careful documentation is crucial for traceability and reusability. However, traditional paper lab books have their limitations. Electronic lab notebooks (ELNs) offer a digital alternative that simplifies work processes and makes research data available in the long term.
In 2024, RWTH Aachen University launched a pilot phase with the open-source system eLabFTW. Now an important milestone is approaching: on October 1, 2025, the ELN@RWTH service will officially go into regular operation – a reason to celebrate!
Register now: Research Data Day 2025!
Source: marijaobradovic – stock.adobe.com
Registration is now open for the statewide panel moderated by the State Initiative for Research Data Management (fdm.nrw), as well as for the local networking and information event hosted by RWTH Aachen University and Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ). On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, Research Data Day in North Rhine-Westphalia will bring together the RDM community and individuals interested in RDM. Reserve your spot today to benefit from valuable insights and discussions on Research Data Management (RDM)!
Valuable Insights and Outlooks: Meeting of the RDM Network and CoRDI 2025
Source: RDM Team RWTH Aachen University
The last Meeting of the RDM Network took place on September 4, 2025. The RDM team from RWTH Aachen University, data stewards, and meeting participants shared valuable insights and exciting impressions from the Conference on Research Data Infrastructure (CoRDI). Additionally, we would like to inform you about another RDM network meeting. The “Data Stewards Practice Special” is scheduled for September 25, 2025. All RDM members are cordially invited to participate in this exchange and report on their experiences and projects.
Coscine at CoRDI 2025
Source: RDM Team RWTH Aachen University
Coscine was also represented with a poster at this year’s Conference on Research Data Infrastructure (CoRDI). The poster showcased Coscine’s participation in the European FAIR-IMPACT Support program, which assists research data infrastructures in implementing the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable). In this article, you will find all the information you need about Coscine and the FAIR-IMPACT Support program.
RDM in Action – Review of CoRDI 2025 in Aachen
Source: Nationale Forschungsdateninfrastruktur
From August 26 to 28, 2025, the second Conference on Research Data Infrastructure (CoRDI) 2025 took place at RWTH Aachen University. The conference was organized by the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) in cooperation with the Chair of Intelligence in Quality Sensing WZL at RWTH and proved to be an extremely important event for many stakeholders in research data management (RDM) to come together. Under the motto “RDM in Action,” the focus was on the practical use of research data. In this blog post, we summarize the highlights of the RWTH’s RDM team and provide an insight into the event.
Announcement: Workshop “Data Stewardship Goes Germany 2025” in Karlsruhe!
Source: University Library RWTH Aachen University
Following the successful 2024 event at RWTH Aachen, the Research Data Management Working Group of the TU9 Alliance, in cooperation with FIZ Karlsruhe, and RDM@KIT are inviting data stewards, data managers, data curators, and other experts from the fields of research data management and research software engineering experts to this year’s workshop, “Data Stewardship goes Germany.”
Next Steps for the NFDI: Focus On Sustainability, Governance and Innovation
Source: nfdi.de
As part of its structural evaluation of the NFDI (National Research Data Infrastructure), the German Science and Humanities Council (Wissenschaftsrat) emphasized the urgent need for a consolidation phase to ensure the infrastructure’s sustainable development. The council is focusing on three main areas in particular: financing and basic services, governance structures, and an accompanying innovation program.
Save the Date! TdF 2025
Source: fdm.nrw
Mark your calendars for November 18, 2025! That’s the date of the fifth Research Data Day (TdF) in North Rhine-Westphalia. Under the motto “FAIR Data – FAIR Play: just a matter of line-up” you can expect a practical program featuring a panel discussion with leading NFDI representatives in the morning and an information and networking event in the afternoon. Together with Forschungszentrum Jülich, we will showcase services, practical examples, ideas, and concepts for the successful, FAIR handling of research data!
Coffee Break With Added Value: Review of the DKZ.2R Data Café at RWTH Aachen University
Source: Lukas Bossert
What do cold coffee, scientific data and a university library have in common? At first glance, perhaps not much, but it was precisely this combination that sparked lively discussion and fresh ideas on research data management (RDM) and data literacy in general on June 24, 2025.
RDM Network Meeting in June 2025: Coscine in Practice
Source: RDM Team RWTH Aachen University
In June, a special session titled ‘Coscine in Practice‘ was held in the ‘Online topic special’ format. The event provided Coscine users, interested parties, and RDM Network Meeting participants with an excellent opportunity to share their experiences and learn from each other.
