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Press releases

Here you can find all press releases of the RatSWD

14
Feb
2024

Well prepared: How science and politics remain capable of acting in crisis situations

In crisis situations, policymakers rely on findings from social and economic research in order to assess social consequences and make decisions. This is hardly possible without quality-checked research data. In its position paper published today, the German Data Forum (RatSWD) makes demands on politics and science to ensure that research is better prepared for crisis situations.

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19
Jan
2024

Report published by the Commission on Future Statistics with the participation of the RatSWD

The Commission on Future Statistics (KomZS) was set up by the Federal Statistical Office to develop a target vision for official statistics in 2030. The final report of this project has now been published and contains specific recommendations for action. The chairpersons of the German Data Forum (RatSWD) are members of the commission and therefore co-authors of the report.

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01
Jan
2024

RatSWD welcomes RfII recommendations: Research data centres strengthen science and data protection

The German Data Forum (RatSWD) welcomes the current recommendations of the RfII on data protection as an important contribution to the political discourse. The research data centres recommended by the RfII have successfully established themselves in the social, behavioural and economic sciences. With accreditation by the RatSWD, they have proven to be a suitable form of data protection-compliant access for research.

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20
Sep
2023

Research Data Act: RatSWD formulates key demands

In its position paper published today, the German Data Forum (RatSWD) welcomes the public consultation process on the BMBF's Research Data Act. In addition to the statement of the RatSWD, numerous statements were received from various stakeholders from science, business and civil society. This underlines the need for a research data law to improve science's access to data.

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12
Sep
2023

The German Data Forum starts its 8th appointment period

The Council for Social and Economic Data (RatSWD) has been appointed for its 8th term (2023-2026) by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). At the constituent meeting, the members of the RatSWD confirmed Prof. Dr. Monika Jungbauer-Gans (DZHW and University of Hannover) as chair and Prof. Dr. Kerstin Schneider (University of Wuppertal) as her deputy.

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22
Jun
2023

Making registry data usable for research

In its position paper published today, the German Data Forum (RatSWD) emphasises the importance of access to register data as well as their linkage for research. The independent advisory council of the Federal Government formulates concrete recommendations so that science can find evidence-based solutions to societal problems on the basis of register data.

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04
Apr
2023

Election results for the 8th appointment period of the German Data Forum (RatSWD)

2,661 scientists have elected their representatives to the German Data Forum (RatSWD). The elected persons for the 8th appointment period (2023–2026) will now be proposed to the Federal Government for appointment. The election results can now be viewed online: https://www.ratswd.de/wahl

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21
Mar
2023

Interconnected research in times of crisis

In times of crisis, the urgency to act is high - things must happen quickly, and at the same time political decisions have to be well-founded. Researchers need quality-assured data that are comparable with one another in order to be able to provide policy-makers with reliable research results. The German Data Forum (RatSWD) has developed some suggestions on how researchers can better position themselves for such situations: a catalogue of standard questions that are important in times of crisis. Researchers can use these questions directly in their studies. The survey data collected can then be better compared and linked.

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14
Mar
2023

Making research data reusable

At the beginning of their careers, researchers are often faced with the question of correct research data management (RDM). Especially in small research projects, it is unclear to many, how the data can be made usable in the long term. With a new handout and a set of slides, the German Data Forum (RatSWD) provides recommendations for RDM in small research projects.

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23
Feb
2023

Tweeting for research

Twitter messages, Instagram pictures, and other traces of digital life emerge every day almost everywhere in the world. They are not only interesting for us and our immediate environment, but also enable research to answer important questions. However, this data is unstructured and fundamentally different from other data sources. In a handout, the German Data Forum (RatSWD) describes the challenges of dealing with unstructured data.

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07
Feb
2023

Researchers between the obligation of confidentiality and the duty of disclosure

The disclosure of criminal offences in the research process is a research ethics dilemma and harbours uncertainties for researchers. A new handout by the German Data Forum (RatSWD) now provides guidance.

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24
Oct
2022

RatSWD: What a data institute should do from a scientific perspective

In its position paper, the German Data Forum (RatSWD) underscores the need for a data institute from a scientific perspective. The independent advisory council of the federal government formulates concrete requirements for the project initiated by the coalition formed by SPD, FDP and Green Party: Data access and data linkage are central to this for researchers.

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