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Research Data – Latest News & Worth Knowing

Schlagwort: ‘FDM’

Tag der Forschungsdaten in NRW 2026

September 1st, 2026 | by

On November 10, 2026, the RWTH FDM team, Forschungszentrum Jülich, and the Data Competence Center DKZ.2R are jointly hosting a diverse and inspiring information event for researchers at SuperC under the theme “Set off on Your Journey: Pleasant travels with your data.”

Discover practical tools, helpful services, and proven methods to support you through the various phases of your research project. Data stewards, the FDM team, and colleagues with FDM experience at RWTH and FZJ will answer your questions and share their real-world experiences.

Look forward to live demonstrations of RDM tools, one-on-one consultations, and helpful take-home materials. The event will cover the following topics:

  • Funding requirements and grant proposals
  • Storing, structuring, and versioning data
  • Metadata and semantic technologies
  • Documenting research processes with electronic lab notebooks (ELNs)
  • Licensing and publishing data and software

Get inspired and learn how good research data management supports your research journey: The Captain’s Talk contextualizes the importance of research data management and provides guidance on the RDM services available at RWTH Aachen University and the Jülich Research Center. The research journey report details the challenges, considerations, and lessons learned on the path to a useful data publication. You’ll also learn how these experiences contribute to improved research data management and make work easier in future projects.

Registration is available through the event database.

For more information about the event, visit the event page.

Ten Years of the FAIR Principles

July 30th, 2026 | by
FAIR principles in postcard format, with the text “10 Jahre” at the bottom in white letters on a light blue background.

Source: own illustration

The FAIR principles are a fundamental concept in research data management (RDM). They were first published ten years ago in the journal *Scientific Data* and have since established themselves as an international standard for the sustainable management of research data. The RDM services at RWTH Aachen University are also based on the FAIR principles and thus support researchers in ensuring their research data is FAIR throughout the entire research process.

We are taking this anniversary as an opportunity to take a closer look at the FAIR principles and their origins in this blog post.

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RDM Checklist: Be Well Prepared for Your Vacation

July 23rd, 2026 | by
Illustration of a clipboard with the heading “FDM-Checkliste” and several items checked off in blue.

Source: Own Illustration

Vacation season is just around the corner, and for many researchers, that means a well-deserved break. But before you put your laptop away for a few days or weeks, it’s worth taking a quick look at research data management (RDM). With just a little preparation, you can ensure that your research data is protected, that projects can continue to run smoothly even while you’re away, and that your substitutes have all the necessary information at their fingertips. In this post, we provide an overview of the most important steps you should take regarding research data management before going on vacation.

 

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Where Should I Store My Research Data? A Decision-Making Guide for RWTH

July 2nd, 2026 | by
A blue graphic banner with the text: “Coscine VS RWTH Publications VS Repository” on white bars with diagonal dividing lines and gear icons in the background.

Source: Own Illustration

At the very latest when research data needs to be stored, archived, or published in a structured manner, an important question arises: Where is the best place to store the data?

At RWTH, various services are available to researchers. At the same time, there are numerous discipline-specific repositories tailored to the needs of individual fields. The right choice depends less on the file format and more on the goal: Will the data be actively used? Does it need to be preserved long-term? Or should it be published and made available for reuse?

 

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ELN@RWTH: Digitizing Research Documentation

June 25th, 2026 | by
“ELN@RWTH” lettering with a document and network icon on a blue background.

Source: Own Illustration

Experiment logs, measurement data, analyses, and notes are part of everyday research life. However, this information is often stored in various locations: in lab notebooks, on network drives, in email attachments, or on personal computers. This can make it difficult to retrieve data, trace workflows, or share information with colleagues.

Electronic Lab Notebooks (ELNs) offer a digital solution to this problem. They enable structured documentation of research processes and help researchers make their work traceable, efficient, and accessible over the long term.

 

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From Alexandria to the World Wide Web: A Brief History of Research Data Management

June 18th, 2026 | by
An open book in the center, connected with symbols representing science, email, a rocket, a computer, a wallet, a light bulb, a clock, and tools.

Source: Magnific

When people talk about research data management (RDM) today, many immediately think of metadata, repositories, or the FAIR principles. The fundamental idea behind it, however, is much older. Long before digital technologies existed, people faced the challenge of collecting and organizing knowledge and making it accessible to future generations.

 

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Coscine in Everyday Work – Development, Service, and Marketing

May 28th, 2026 | by
An infographic featuring three sections: Communication and Marketing, Service and Support, and Development, all centered around the Coscine logo.

Source: Own Illustration

There is much more to a platform like Coscine than just technical development. To enable researchers to manage and store their data in a structured way and collaborate on projects, various departments must work closely together. At Coscine, two teams in particular take on key roles: the Development Team and the Service Management Team. These are complemented by other departments such as Communications and Marketing, which support the platform’s visibility.

 

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State Initiative for Research Data Management – fdm.nrw

May 21st, 2026 | by
fdm.nrw logo: a blue squirrel holding an acorn on a white background, with “fdm.nrw” in black and blue lettering below

Source: fdm.nrw

The state office of the State Initiative for Research Data Management (abbreviated as Landesinitiative fdm.nrw) serves as the central hub for strategic developments in research data management (RDM) in North Rhine-Westphalia. Since its founding in 2017, it has been connecting universities and stakeholders across the state, supporting the establishment and expansion of RDM structures and state-level RDM services, and providing information on current, cross-cutting developments in RDM. In addition, the Landesinitiative fdm.nrw supports the implementation of the DH.NRW State RDM Concept, which was published in 2024. With its information, networking, and exchange offerings, the fdm.nrw state initiative is aimed in particular at FDM staff at universities.

In this blog post, you will find an overview of the development of the fdm.nrw state initiative from its founding to the present, as well as its key areas of activity and its collaboration with RWTH.

 

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NFDI-MatWerk/FAIRmat Spring School 2026 in Erlangen

May 13th, 2026 | by
Group Photo

Source: Dr. Ahmed Esam Ahmed Mansour

From April 13 to 16, 2026, the NFDI-MatWerk/FAIRmat Spring School 2026 took place at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) on the topic of “Research Data Management in Materials Science and Engineering.” A total of 17 participants, including advanced master’s students, doctoral candidates, postdocs, and early-career researchers, came together to engage intensively with FAIR research data practices and practical tools for everyday research.

 

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RDM Network Meeting in April 2026: RDMO in Practice

May 7th, 2026 | by
Key data such as date, title, location, etc. for the RDM network meeting on April 23, 2026, with networking structure in the background

Source: Own Illustration

The RDM Network Meeting on April 23, 2026, focused on the creation, organization, and use of data management plans (DMPs) in collaborative projects using the Research Data Management Organizer (RDMO).

The RDM Network Meeting is a monthly forum for data management officers, practitioners, and interested parties. It combines thematic presentations with open discussion on current practical issues and provides a space for networking and discussion.

 

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