In early July 2026, the Joint Science Conference (GWK) made two landmark decisions regarding the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) : First, all ten consortia from the second funding round will continue to receive funding through the end of 2028; second, long-term funding and further development of the NFDI from 2029 to 2038, amounting to up to 98.7 million euros annually, has been approved.

This provides the NFDI with a reliable outlook for the continued expansion of research data infrastructure and data-driven research in Germany. The decision also lays the groundwork for the evolution toward a “One NFDI,” which will coordinate research data management in Germany more effectively and advance it strategically.

The funds will be used in particular to operate a needs-based portfolio of services, develop common standards, and further connect stakeholders in research data management across Germany. The funding also includes an innovation program administered by the German Research Foundation (DFG), which allows for the flexible adoption and testing of new developments in research data management.

“We are very pleased that the federal and state governments recognize the network’s achievements to date and are supporting its further development through continued funding,” said NFDI Director Prof. Dr. York Sure-Vetter, welcoming the GWK‘s decision.

These decisions are also of great significance for Ruhr University Bochum (RUB). Researchers at RUB are now actively involved in numerous NFDI consortia (https://researchdata.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/en/nfdi), including several of the consortia that have now received continued funding: FAIRmat, NFDI-MatWerk, DAPHNE4NFDI, NFDI4Earth, NFDI4Microbiota, PUNCH4NFDI, and Text+. In the two consortia NFDI-MatWerk (materials science and engineering) and FAIRmat (condensed matter physics and chemical physics of solids), RUB will even be a co-applicant in the next funding period. RUB has been a member of NFDI e. V. since 2023 and is thus also actively contributing to the further development of the NFDI on an interdisciplinary basis.

See the GWK‘s press releases (in German):

https://www.gwk-bonn.de/fileadmin/Redaktion/Dokumente/Pressemitteilungen/PM_09_26.pdf

https://www.gwk-bonn.de/fileadmin/Redaktion/Dokumente/Pressemitteilungen/PM_10_26.pdf

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