Support scientists in handling research data

UW/H research data management

Embedding research data management as a key competence in everyday research plays an important role at the UW/H. The RDM contact and service point answers UW/H researchers' questions about handling research data - from the generation, management and cooperative use to the publication of the data. 

It helps with legal issues and also offers support with local research data management, the use of research data repositories and the writing of data management plans. In doing so, the RDM is guided by the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Re-usable) and sustainably promotes the development of skills among UW/H researchers.

The Service Center supports scientists in creating a data management plan (DMP) for their own project. The DMP describes the life cycle of research data - from collection to archiving. It includes all measures to ensure that the data remains available, usable and traceable (data inventory, data genesis, workflow, consolidation, dissemination). First and foremost, it supports your own scientific work. However, more and more research funders are also demanding a DMP. Research data management concepts at the UW/H are developed in accordance with the FAIR Data principles.

Digital technologies have profoundly changed the research process. Researchers are required to deal with questions about research ethics as early as possible. The requirements of the ethics standards in professional societies must play an important role. 

As the social significance of research has grown, questions of research ethics have become even more relevant. All scientific quality criteria and principles of “good scientific practice” must be adhered to by the scientific community in every research project. Research ethics provides methods for questioning changes. The RDM at UW/H supports scientists in fulfilling legal and ethical requirements and thinking about them from the very beginning.

Trustworthy and sustainable research data management depends on good communication. For this reason, the Contact and Service Point is in close contact with all departments and areas of the UW/H that come into contact with research data management (including researchers, the library, IT, research funding, dean's offices, university management, etc.). In this way, current needs can be identified and addressed precisely. In addition to working group meetings, the RDM at Witten University offers, for example, training courses and workshops as well as individual consultations in which researchers can address their questions directly.

The connection and further networking with stakeholders in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, in Germany (NFDI), in RDM networks at universities and colleges, with research facilities and institutes and internationally (Research Data Alliance, European Open Science Cloud, EOSC, etc.) are essential. Through this close exchange, the RDM at UW/H makes a decisive contribution to developing sustainable solutions for RDM in line with the FAIR principles.