Collaboration, Professionalization, Participation - The Swiss Research Data Support Network
Creators: name: Verdicchio, Dirk
name: Bellanger, Silke
name: Churakova, Olga
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Sustainablity and Strategy: Collaboration and Professionalization of RDM support
Networks and Communities
National ORD Strategy
IDCC25

description: The Swiss Research Data Support Network (SRDSN) is an initiative aimed at establishing a robust, inclusive, and sustainable research data management (RDM) support community in Switzerland.

Efficient and professional RDM support requires both intra- and inter-institutional cooperation. Therefore, the Swiss Research Data Strategy promotes networking and professionalization of ORD (Open Research Data) specialists. In response to a call for proposals from swissuniversities aimed at promoting networking and collaboration in research data management support, 31 institutions from all language regions of Switzerland proposed the establishment of a Swiss Research Data Support Network (SRDSN).

SRDSN aims to facilitate collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the development of best practices among research data support professionals from different disciplines and institutions. By building on an existing informal research data support network and acknowledging the linguistic, institutional and professional diversity, SRDSN will provide a comprehensive and inclusive organizational framework. This framework will enable the formation of specialized nodes, starting with a Data Stewardship Coordinators node, to address specific RDM areas.

The poster will focus on the network’s governance structure of SRDSN, the development and function of nodes, the organization of meetings, means of communication and the approach to mandates and calls. These elements are designed to ensure an inclusive and sustainable community.

Governance: The governance model of SRDSN is designed to ensure sustainability and inclusivity. The governance structure includes: 1) a Steering Committee as an ongoing strategic, and decision-making body; 2) an Operational Committee to coordinate and organize events, membership, and communications; 3) an external Sounding Board to review the network’s progress.

A Memorandum of Understanding and a Code of Conduct to guide operations and ensure alignment with the network’s values are part of the SRDSN structure.

Nodes: SRDSN's node system is community-driven and operates in two formats—permanent and temporary. These thematic nodes can be initiated by any member of the community to address specific RDM challenges. The first node, focused on Data Stewardship Coordination, will be established during the initial phase of the project and will focus on the needs of this new professional role and responsibilities.

Community Meetings: The SRDSN organizes biannual, full-day community meetings that include both input sessions and exchange opportunities. These meetings are conducted in a hybrid format to ensure that all interested parties can participate, regardless of location. These meetings will feature guest speakers from both national and international contexts, fostering a broader perspective on RDM practices.

Mandates and Projects: The SRDSN is committed to the collective management of mandates and collaborative project proposals in the context of the national strategies and programs. For the year 2025, the network plans to undertake three mandates for swissuniversities, demonstrating its collective capacity to contribute to and influence the national RDM landscape.

By focusing on these key areas, the SRDSN project aims to create a dynamic, responsive, and well-integrated RDM support community that can meet the evolving needs of researchers and institutions across Switzerland.

Acknowledgements: swissuniversities, SRDSN Members