Swiss National Data and Service Center for the Humanities (DaSCH)

This presentation introduces the infrastructure and services of the Swiss National Data and Service Center for the Humanitites (DaSCH) for researchers and research ITs. DaSCH develops and operates a FAIR long- term repository and a generic virtual research environment for complex and simple open research data in the Humanities in Switzerland, including law and theology. The primary goal of our platform is to guarantee direct access to the research data: it brings your data to life and keeps it alive in the long run. At the same time, it lets you edit, delete and enrich your data, even after it has been archived. Each object within a dataset has its own persistent identifier to allow reliable citability. We set value on interoperability with tools used by the Humanities and Cultural Sciences communities and foster the use of standards. The data is also accessible via an API, which allows computer scientists to collect data in an automated way. Our services for researchers and the community include hands-on training in the use of the DaSCH infrastructure, workshops thematizing frequently asked questions by researchers when writing a data management plan, participation in lectures, or workshops about best practices in the management and (re-)use of qualitative data in humanities research. As the coordinating institution and representative of Switzerland in DARIAH members of DaSCH actively engage in community building within Switzerland and abroad.