Working group Accreditation and Participation Formats in the FDI Committee

In view of the developments in the research data infrastructure in recent years, the working group ‘Accreditation and Participation Formats in the FDI Committee’ is critically reviewing the existing criteria for the accreditation of research data centres by the German Data Forum (RatSWD) and at the same time examining the associated processes for monitoring and the complaints procedure for possibilities of optimisation.

RatSWD (2017): Quality assurance of the research data centres (RDCs) accredited by the
German Data Forum (RatSWD). RatSWD Output 8(5). https://doi.org/10.17620/02671.4

In connection with the specification and revision of the accreditation criteria, the working
group is also looking at new formats for participation in the FDI Committee in order to be
able to include other stakeholders in the research data infrastructure in the joint dialogue
alongside the accredited research data centres.

Since the introduction of the accreditation criteria and minimum standards in 2010, the number of FDI Committee members has doubled. Due to the establishment of new research data centres and corresponding recommendations from the Federal Government’s Data Strategy or the German Science and Humanities Council (WR), as well as related requirements from research funders, it is to be expected that the FDI Committee will continue to grow as a joint committee of all research data centres accredited by the German Data Forum (RatSWD). In order to ensure its ability to work, the criteria for the accreditation of new research data centres need to be revised and alternative ways of participating in the FDI Committee need to be established.

• Format: Joint working group of the Committee for Research Data Infrastructures (FDI
  Committee) and the German Data Forum (RatSWD)
• Objective: Updating the handout on quality assurance of the research data centres and – developing and writing recommendations on new participation formats for the FDI Committee, including adapting the committee’s rules of procedure
• Output: Publication of the recommendations on participation formats in the FDI
  Committee and the updated handout on quality assurance of the research data centres accredited by the RatSWD (RatSWD output)
• Timeframe: autumn 2023 – summer 2024