Further development of the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) by the Federal Government and the federal states

Funding of NFDI consortia with the participation of the University of Stuttgart [ Picture: HLRS/Uwe Wössner] By establishing and funding the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) under the umbrella of the Joint Science Conference (GWK), the Federal Government and the federal states aim to make better use of the potential of research data for science in Germany. The NFDI is intended to set standards in data management and, as a digital, regionally distributed and networked knowledge repository, to ensure the storage and usability of research data on a sustainable basis. On 26 June 2020, the GWK decided on the funding of NFDI consortia based on a recommendation of the German Research Foundation (DFG). The University of Stuttgart is a co-applicant in two future funded consortia. Prof. Wolfram Ressel, Rector of the University of Stuttgart, said after the GWK funding decision: "The two successful consortium participations of the University of Stuttgart make a significant contribution to our ability to establish research data management in Germany both professionally and efficiently. They also show that the University of Stuttgart contributes its research strategy on a national level, disclosing it for global use and standardizing it in a user-friendly way." A total of 22 proposals for NFDI consortia were submitted to the DFG in response to a call for proposals, and nine were recommended for funding by a group of experts. A total of 142 different institutions were involved in the applications.