RDCnet

Simple yet secure data access is essential to creating the best-possible framework conditions for empirical research. While fully anonymised microdata can typically be accessed directly, more granular and weakly anonymised data are only accessible at so-called guest researcher workstations on the premises of the respective research institutes. Using them is often costly – both in terms of time and effort as well as financially. Improving access to sensitive data is therefore an important step towards fully exploiting the research potential of these data.

RDCnet is intended to integrate all existing guest researcher workstations of the participating research data centres into a network of secure data access points. This will allow researchers to access sensitive data regardless of which workstation they are working at. Simplifying access in this way will allow more users to work with the datasets, while the data providers retain control over the distribution of the datasets, thus enabling them to safeguard individual data security standards.

The portal will be made available by 2024.