The RDS networks

In order to expand its expertise and better support RUB researchers, the RDS team networks with various RUB institutions and service centers:

The team at the Research Support Office provides advice on all aspects of applying for research funding. Since most funding organizations now require a structured and sustainable approach to research data management, and since RDM is in some cases an integral part of the application process, the RDS team is in direct contact with the team at the Research Support Office. This means that researchers can receive comprehensive advice on all aspects of the application process. 

The use of digital methods and resources has increased in humanities research. The DHC integrates, develops, and promotes digital tools and resources for RUB researchers. Digitization also goes hand in hand with the everyday handling of various aspects of RDM. The RDS team is in regular contact with the DHC in order to be able to provide comprehensive advice on inquiries from the humanities faculties.  

Medical Research Services (MRS.RUB) brings together the central research infrastructure of Bochum University Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine. It supports biomedical research through a wide range of specialized core facilities and central services, including in the areas of biobanking, clinical and medical data, and other technology- and data-related research infrastructures. The RDS team is in regular contact with MRS.RUB with the aim of coordinating requests from the medical field and providing comprehensive advice.

The Center for Research Methods is an interdisciplinary point of contact for questions relating to empirical research projects. The Center for Research Methods is primarily aimed at RUB students. The Center's expertise in handling sensitive data is an important component of our exchange, as data protection is a key aspect of RDM. In addition, joint formats are being developed in which the expertise of the two service centers is used synergistically. This allows the topic of structured data handling to be brought to the attention of the target group of students at an early stage. 

The RDM service centers work closely together within the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr). They not only exchange experiences, but also develop concepts together. The collaboration takes place in various working groups (WG):

This working group shares experiences from training courses. In addition, the working group has jointly developed the concept of the  RDM Curriculum. The training program is based on a joint offering that also includes events organized across universities. 

The UA Ruhr offers all members of the three universities a joint RDMOinstance to support the creation of data management plans. This working group is working on updating and further developing the system.

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'The state office of the State Initiative for Research Data Management – fdm.nrw provides universities in North Rhine-Westphalia with information on current developments in RDM, connects stakeholders in the state, and supports collaborations that lead to cross-university offerings. The main task of the state initiative fdm.nrw is to support the implementation of the state concept for research data management, which formulates a framework for the expansion of RDM in NRW.' [ https://www.fdm.nrw/ (only available in German, translated by RDS); last 20.01.2026]

Since its founding meeting in December 2025, the  concept of the state NRW sets out the goals for the further development of RDM in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and is based on five areas of action. 

The RDS team at RUB is actively involved in the following interest and working groups (IG and WG) at the state level in North Rhine-Westphalia:

'The two-day workshop is aimed at individuals who want to teach the basics of research data management in their field of work or at their institution and, based on this, want to set up or expand RDM services for their locations.' [ https://www.fdm.nrw/train-the-trainer-workshop-zum-forschungsdatenmanagement (only available in German, translated by RDS); last 20.01.2026]

Our RDS team members participate as lecturers in the further training of RDM multipliers, such as data stewards, and also use the framework to exchange ideas with their committed colleagues in NRW on training concepts and their implementation. 

Since its founding meeting in December 2025, the  SBK network is described in the NRW state concept. Here, the RDS team is involved in planning and evaluating the training programs offered by NRW universities for NRW researchers. In addition, the RDS team participates in an exchange group to share use cases and experiences in the field of data curation.

In the working group for 'Tag der Forschungsdaten' (Research Data Day)  , the RDS team helps organize the annual 'Research Data Day in North Rhine-Westphalia' event.

In this interest group, the coordniators of the RDM service centers at various institutions in NRW exchange ideas on strategic issues relating to the further development of RDM services. 

Research data management has now become an important priority at all research institutions, both nationally and internationally. For this reason, the RDS team also exchanges information with colleagues from international institutions. 

EuDaNOS is a network that brings together RDM service centers, data stewards, and researchers responsible for RDM to exchange information about current developments in RDM and open science in a structured manner. Currently, the three UA Ruhr universities are working together with Erasmus University Rotterdam and the University of Oulu within this network. The international exchange of experiences also provides the RDS team with input for the further development of its own concepts.

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