Better access to research data is essential for Germany as a centre of science
The 10th Conference on Social and Economic Data (10|KSWD) began on Monday 22 June 2026 in Berlin, sending a clear message to policy-makers regarding better ways to utilise research data. The German Government’s proposed Research Data Act dominated the first day of the conference. Under the motto “Data4Society”, researchers will spend two days discussing a high-performance, secure research data infrastructure with representatives from politics, data production and public administration.
“Research data infrastructures are a strategic component of our scientific system and a key cornerstone of our democracy”, emphasised Parliamentary State Secretary Dr. Silke Launert (BMFTR) at the opening of the 10|KSWD.
A highlight of the first day of the conference was the Political Forum. During this session, Stephan Albani, Member of the Bundestag (CDU), Dr. Andrea Lübcke, Member of the Bundestag (Alliance 90/The Greens), Prof. Dr. Kerstin Schneider (Chair of the RatSWD) and Prof. Dr. Walter J. Radermacher (former Director-General of the Statistical Office of the European Union) discussed the key directions for research and data policy regarding the future of Germany as a centre of science. Broad access to research data and the ability to link it are indispensable for this. The Research Data Act planned by the Federal Government is intended to make this possible. Kerstin Schneider emphasised: “We need the Research Data Act to ensure Germany’s competitiveness as a centre of science, to maintain our capacity for innovation, and thus to support the economic and social development of our country.”
The vital importance of data infrastructure, including official statistics, for society was emphasised. “Data4Society means providing guidance to society. This objective is particularly crucial at a time when social tensions and issues of trust highlight the importance of reliable data”, said Prof. Dr. Christof Wolf, spokesperson for KonsortSWD.
Background: On the 22nd and 23rd June, 200 participants gathered at the Langenbeck-Virchow-Haus on the Charité campus in the heart of Berlin for the 10th Conference on Social and Economic Data. The conference discussed how the research data infrastructure in Germany can be improved, whilst also taking the European level into account. The conference was organised jointly by the German Data Forum (RatSWD) and KonsortSWD – NFDI4Society, the social sciences NFDI consortium..
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The German Data Forum (RatSWD) has been advising the German federal government and the governments of the German states on questions of research data infrastructure for the empirical social, behavioural and economic sciences since 2004. In the RatSWD, ten representatives of the social, behavioural and economic disciplines, legitimised by election, work together with ten representatives of data production.
The RatSWD is part of the Consortium for the Social, Behavioural, Educational and Economic Sciences (KonsortSWD) in the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI). It sees itself as an institutionalised forum for dialogue between science and data producers and develops recommendations and statements. In doing so, it is committed to an infrastructure that provides science with broad, flexible and secure access to data. These data are provided by governmental, science-based and private-sector actors. Currently, the RatSWD has accredited 41 research data centres and promotes their cooperation.
Press Photos
Photo: Heidi Scherm / KonsortSWD
