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On the second Tuesday in February, the UDCC convened its Forum in the Boothzaal of the ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ Library. Now in its third iteration since launching in November of 2024, the Forum is evolving into a regular opportunity for colleagues across the university to gather and exchange knowledge.  

And as the landscape of digital competencies continues to evolve at a swift pace, we find significant need for sharing support. Our Open Agenda included discussion of agency in digital infrastructure, particularly as polemical developments place certain forms of research data in positions of duress. Certain foundations for research that once seemed steady are newly challenged, and we think along about how to build durability in light of these developments.  

The UDCC Forum continues to develop conversation on the ways in which research support professionals can better undergird research. How might we provide consistent and comprehensive consultation on digital needs? Which interventions prove truly impactful for our community? By regularly reflecting upon these questions, we begin to navigate new ways to assess and consider our role in the process of enhancing the scientific record. By working as a community, we recognise that we can collectively surface forms of competencies and professionalisation within our fields. 

Collaboratively thinking about what we need in Central UU RDM Policy 

During the 3rd UDCC Forum, Pui-Kei Fung and Coosje Veldkamp hosted a collaborative brainstorming session on Research Data Management (RDM) policy, bringing together research support professionals, including data managers, privacy officers, and research software engineers. The goal was to start identifying key policy, procedural, standardization, and guideline requirements for each phase of the research data lifecycle. The insights provided during this event will help shape a comprehensive university-wide RDM policy and serve as a foundation for faculty-level procedures, standards, and guidelines.  

During the session, six breakout groups explored different phases of the research data lifecycle (Plan & Design; Collect & Create; Analyse & Collaborate; Evaluate & Archive; Publish & Share; Discover & Reuse).   

The session reaffirmed the critical role of the research support community in shaping sustainable and effective research data management practices. As a next step, we will host similar sessions at each of the faculties to collect more pieces of the RDM policy ‘puzzle.’  

Thank you all for your valuable contributions, and we’re looking forward to continued collaboration in developing a policy that supports the entire research community!