The GO FAIR Implementation Network GO Unite! is an interactive forum of the Data Stewardship Competence Centers (DSCC) in which the German research data management (RDM) community connects with each other across disciplines. The contents of GO Unite! are provided by the community and are defined and processed beyond formal project structures. Within this low-threshold cooperation culture, pragmatic solutions for current RDM issues are developed.
At the spring workshop on 28 April 2022, existing and new topics were worked on in several breakout sessions. The current GO Unite! working groups are:
- Connecting the Network (Monika Linne)
In this working group, relevant RDM topics are identified that require stronger networking within the community and between RDM initiatives. The aim is to avoid reinventing the wheel and parallel work on identical topics or to exchange experiences on specific RDM issues. The topics of the spring workshop were:
- Central collection of RDM training materials: DINI/nestor Sub Working Group Training/Fortbildungen: https://rs.cms.hu-berlin.de/uag_fdm/pages/home.php
- Development of a digital expert platform
- Establishment of RDM in curricula (Volker Schwartze, Annette Strauch-Davey, Florian Strauß)
- Collegial Consulting as a form of low threshold Counseling in a self-directed group: Offer of the Sub Working Group Training/Fortbildungen (Britta Petersen)
- Research Ethics (Annette Strauch-Davey)
The topic of research ethics is an important part of all scientific disciplines, but the content is not yet sufficiently known. In this working group, a discussion should therefore first take place of how awareness can be raised in the RDM community and how support can be provided for researchers. In addition, an international network is aimed for, since the topic is already more advanced in other countries.
- RDM Description Model (Patrick Helling)
At this year’s GO Unite! spring workshop, the “RDM description model” working group discussed possible approaches for formalizing consultation meetings in RDM. These can be used as an informational basis for developing a framework to formally describe RDM theory and practice. First and foremost, the working group noticed that RDM competence centers would very much welcome further exchange on the following aspects:
- Concepts for transferring competencies in research data management;
- How to conduct FDM consultation meetings;
- How to document FDM consultation meetings;
- How to design subject-specific FDM consultation.
These topics were addressed in two follow-up workshops of the WG (in German):
- GO Unite! workshop, 05 May 2022: Konzepte zur Durchführung & Protokollierung von Beratungsgesprächen im FDM
- GO Unite! workshop, 12 May 2022: Muster in FDM-Bedarfen – Versuch einer formalen Beschreibung von FDM-Bedarfsstrukturen
The results of the workshops will be published in a joint publication. Further follow-up workshops are planned for the second half of 2022.
- Allocation, collection and visibility of research data from your own institution (Markus Putnings, Esther Asef)
The working group “assignment, collection, and visibility of research data at institutions” focused on three core questions during a breakout session at the GO Unite! spring workshop:
- First, approaches to the collection of recommendations / best practices were discussed. Here, the focus was particularly on the identification of necessary steps to retrieve research data stored in different repositories and produced at a specific institution, e.g. a university.
- Secondly, to improve the retrieval of research data stored in various infrastructures but produced at a specific institution, the group discussed possible ways for the GO Unite! community to address such infrastructures and which specific demands could be defined.
- Finally, strategies for a consolidated search of research data deposited in different repositories were debated.
- Internationalization (Anja Busch)
Participants of the breakout session on “internationalization” brainstormed the future design of exchange across borders. There is great interest in addressing one’s needs or experiences with the international community and gaining new impetus for activities. During the breakout session, (1) international guest keynotes, (2) topics of other GO Unite! working groups (such as research ethics, RDM in the university curriculum) and (3) exchange programmes were considered for international perspectives. All approaches provide an opportunity to promote cross-border interaction and to benefit from the experience of the international network.
“Internationalization” as a topic offers the potential for a vibrant and interesting exchange. All ideas and potential measures raised a lot of interest among GO Unite! members. What is missing is a contact person from the community at the moment. Whoever is interested in filling the international exchange with life is welcome to contact the GO Unite! spokespersons Monika Linne, Patrick Helling and Anja Busch.
In the meantime, we are welcoming feedback on two questions in this Google doc:
- In which topics/projects/initiatives in the international environment are you interested?
- Please share valuable contacts of projects or initiatives that could be of value for GO Unite!
Even if you weren’t able to join the workshop, you are cordially invited to participate within the existing working groups or to introduce new topics that you would like to promote in the GO Unite! network. If you are interested in collaborating within the topics, please contact the responsible persons, who are indicated in brackets behind the respective topic. We look forward to working with you!
Monika Linne, Patrick Helling, Anja Busch