Germany

The mandated organisation and national structure, the German National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI), was founded in 2020. They have been allocated a budget of up to 90 million Euro annually for ten years to promote and adopt Open Science in the different research fields, with which Germany has all the necessary elements to contribute and become fully integrated in the EOSC enterprise. NFDI is already involved in several EU initiatives (ELIXIR, several ERICs, ESS, DARIAH…) and connects almost 220 institutes and organisations divided over the 16 federal states of Germany with the ambition to grow. All things considering, Germany looks bound to stay ahead of the curve.

German National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI)

The German National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) has been selected as EOSC mandated organisation in Germany, and also forms the national structure. NFDI, based in Karlsruhe, is a joint initiative of the Federal Government and the Federal States in the framework of the Joint Science Conference (GWK). Its main purpose is to promote science and research through a national research data infrastructure that establishes and develops research data management in Germany and increases the efficiency of the entire German science system. This will be achieved by establishing a networked information infrastructure in area-specific consortia, developing sustainable interoperable research data management, and creating a reliable range of data-based services for science and research. In addition, NFDI will also be linked to international initiatives such as EOSC and participate in its development.

It’s important to note that in Germany the creation of a national structure for EOSC is done through a national programme. This implies a well-structured approach to EOSC, as national programmes are “technical cooperation initiatives that develop a comprehensive approach towards open science and FAIR principles, engaging relevant stakeholders into action within a country and to provide a common platform for different aims unique to the country” (full document).

Email: info@nfdi.de

Open Access Network

Another national effort that has not been reported as National Open Science structure but works on an aspect of Open science is the Open Access Network: The project open-access.network, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), is creating a new information and networking offering that will activate and trans-regionally connect existing initiatives and sustainably improve exchange within science on open access. Information on open access will be available in a trans-disciplinary, centralised, and reliable way. Newly developed, freely accessible materials as well as continuing professional development and training offerings will broaden the skills of actors and multipliers in science and libraries and transfer competencies in practical, organisational, and legal matters.

To achieve this, a group of project partners have come together that have extensive and diverse expertise in information provision, competency development, and networking in the area of open access and have been very active members of the open access community for many years. The collaborative project is managed by the Communication, Information, Media Centre (KIM) at the University of Konstanz. The other project partners are the Open-Access-Büro Berlin at the Freie Universität Berlin; the Helmholtz Open Science Office, which is located at the Helmholtz Centre – German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ); TIB – the Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology and University Library in Hanover; Bielefeld University Library; and Göttingen State and University Library.