Research Data Day: Data Competence as a Shared Goal

At Research Data Day 2025, the practical application of the FAIR principles was the focus: research data should be secure and sustainably reusable. BIPS presented its work on building data infrastructures within the framework of NFDI4Health, the Center for Research Data Infrastructure and Data Science, and the Data Competence Center DataNord:

NFDI Data Bar: Advice and Exchange
Together with ten other Bremen consortia, NFDI4Health was represented at the NFDI Data Bar. The team offered individual discussions on central questions of research data management. Participants informed themselves about implementation possibilities of the FAIR principles as well as topics such as data access, interoperability, and legal frameworks. Around 50 people used this practical exchange to find solutions for their own data projects and suitable contacts.

Talk “Accessing Valuable Health Data”: Making Health Data Reusable
In his lecture, Dr. Timm Intemann showed how valuable health data from studies can be securely and efficiently made usable for research – even beyond the original study duration. The BIPS Research Data Portal was presented, offering external researchers simple and standardized access to data. Intemann explained the application process, secure analysis options, and accompanying support. Using the Biomarkers4Pediatrics network, he demonstrated the potential of globally connected datasets.

Rotating Tables – Research Data under the Roof of DataNord
In the interactive format “Rotating Tables: Handling Research Data Using the Example of DataNord,” Rasmus Cloes, Dr. Nour Naaouf, and Dr. Rajini Nagrani exchanged views with participants on dealing with research data. After a brief introduction to the work of the Data Competence Center DataNord and its diverse projects – from citizen science and OneHealth to synthetic data and AI methods – participants were invited to discuss at themed tables. Current challenges such as data protection, data integration, and citizen participation were the focus. The format promoted knowledge transfer at eye level and opened space for creative solutions and new perspectives on data handling.

Evening Event: FAIR Principles in a Societal Context
The day concluded with a formal evening event in the Bremen Parliament, moderated by Felix Krömer. Under the motto “Using Data Together: FAIR Solutions for a Better Society,” Frank Oliver Glöckner welcomed the participants. In their opening speeches, Senator Kathrin Moosdorf and Prof. Dr. Maren Petersen emphasized the importance of open, secure, and responsible handling of data for scientific progress and societal development. Subsequently, the Data Champion Award 2025 was presented to three researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute. The keynote was delivered by Prof. Dr. Sonja Schimmler, guest professor for research data infrastructure at the Technical University of Berlin and research group leader at Fraunhofer FOKUS. She highlighted necessary measures to improve data infrastructures and increase data competence. The event ended with a panel discussion on the significance of data competence for societal solutions.

The event demonstrated how important it is to strengthen data competence across all age and social groups and to make the topic more visible together. We look forward to Research Data Day 2026!