At the inaugural meeting on 21st January 2026 of the university’s appointed Research Data Management (RDM) representatives of the university’s faculties and research units, Anika Erxleben from the CDF opened the session by outlining the historical context of appointing RDM‑representatives across faculties and institutions, and Jan Leendertse explained that the move is driven by the Guidelines for Good Scientific Practice, which require universities to integrate robust research data management to remain eligible for third‑party funding.
The meeting initiated by the Central Data Facility aimed to clarify the appointment process, address knowledge gaps, and present the support services offered by the CDF.
The CDF envisions the RDM representatives as local contacts for data‑management issues within their faculties or research units, where they maintain an overview of the higher-level administrative and strategic processes that are closely linked to RDM (such as mapping existing infrastructure, the establishment of new professorships or research groups, the departure of professors and the associated retention and reuse of data, etc.). Thus, RDM representatives are not to be equated with data stewards, who tend to be more research-oriented and support researchers by working directly with research data.
The CDF will provide a suite of services through an RDM Hub that will link faculties, Data Stewards, and RDM representatives to ensure a steady flow of information and assistance.
The next meeting is planned for March/April, where the group will refine responsibilities and further embed RDM into the university’s decision‑making processes.