Research data management at the University of Magdeburg

What is research data?

Research data is data that is generated in the course of scientific research processes. Depending on the scientific discipline, the generated research data can be available in different formats.

What is research data management?

Research data management (RDM) encompasses the processes of transformation, selection and storage of research data with the common goal of keeping it accessible, reusable and verifiable in the long term and independent of individuals. To this end, structured measures can be taken at all points of the data life cycle that are suitable for maintaining the scientific validity of research data, preserving its accessibility by third parties for evaluation and analysis and securing the chain of custody.

Why research data management?

Proper management of research data is a central aspect of scientific work and requires compliance with the FAIR principles. It requires consideration of the various stages of the data lifecycle and the use of a structured data management plan.

In addition, almost all research funding institutions and programs now expect a text section with a detailed description of the handling of research data when submitting proposals for the funding of research projects. Since March 2022, specific information has been mandatory in DFG proposals. In BMBF calls for proposals, too, there are usually precise requirements that must be referred to in applications. FYou can find further information on the funding guidelines of the third-party funding bodies for the RDM further below on this page.

Research data management at the University of Magdeburg

Based on the data stewardship concept (model TU Delft - see footnote 1) and with extensive funding from the state of Saxony-Anhalt, OVGU is continuously building structures for forward-looking, cooperative RDM at the location and at the same time generating best practices and points of contact for the scientific institutions in Saxony-Anhalt, for regional research partners in industry and society and for the benefit of interfaces to national and international scientific communities.

Data stewards within an OVGU research area support their researchers with RDM in the terms of FAIR and Open Science. The data stewards are characterized by a combination of scientific expertise and RDM competence and work across institutions and disciplines. They are responsible for the establishment, implementation and further development of a data management concept for the respective organizational unit of the university, the research centers and all project partners and serve as contact persons for both the researchers and the Head Research Data Management Coordination.

A central RDM coordinator (Data Steward Coordinator) is superior to the data stewards; it creates forums for mutual cooperation between the data stewards, organizes training courses, mediates between them and central OVGU service facilities, consolidates the subject-specific RDM and identifies RDM synergies (development of interdisciplinary, subject-specific and university-wide solutions), and coordinates RDM guidelines for application in the research areas with support from the data stewards for the research areas.

1) Artikel "Data Stewardship Addressing Disciplinary Data Management Needs" (TU Delft)

National Research Data Infrastructures (NFDI)

OVGU networks and cooperates with all consortia of the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) e.V. association with regard to valuable data in order to make it systematically accessible and as reusable as possible.

Last Modification: 15.12.2023 - Contact Person: