From Networking to Infrastructure - The Role of the Federal State Initiative for Research Data Management in Baden-Württemberg

The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Arts (MWK) has been funding initiatives related to research data management (RDM) for more than ten years. Thus bwFDM[1], the federal state initiative for research data management in Baden-Württemberg, and its predecessor projects[2] are among the longest-running initiatives for RDM at the state level in Germany.

This poster illustrates how bwFDM developed as a federal state initiative from its predecessor projects: bwFDM-Communities (2014-2015), bwFDM-Info I (2016-2017), bwFDM-Info II (2017-2019), and bw2FDM (2019-2023). Building on that, it outlines how the current funding phase (2023-2027) aims to ensure its long-term continuation, explaining how the initiatives have transitioned from focusing on needs assessments and initial networking to establishing a sustainable RDM structure in Baden-Württemberg. Core elements of the poster will be the initiative’s exchange with other stakeholders in the federal state, such as bwHPC, the development of different RDM-services as well as the information platform forschungsdaten.info, and the support of the research data strategy of Baden-Württemberg.

The poster showcases the current initiative's work towards a functional infrastructure, drawing on lessons learned and key insights from foundational predecessor projects that laid the groundwork for today's approach.

On this basis, the poster addresses the core activities of bwFDM's current funding phase. In its role as a federal state initiative, bwFDM engages in RDM-related networking by connecting with RDM stakeholders in Baden-Württemberg and beyond, facilitating exchange, sharing information on current developments, and shaping the future of RDM. The initiative also supervises and acts as chief editor of the information platform forschungsdaten.info[3], which offers general texts revolving around the research data lifecycle, discipline-specific information on RDM, and an overview of RDM activities in German-speaking countries. Compact, practical tips round off the platform's portfolio, with the editorial team led by bwFDM involving around 70 RDM experts from German-speaking countries.

Additionally, bwFDM has developed the Certificate of Advanced Studies Forschungsdatenmanagement (CAS FDM) and its hybrid implementation[4]. The CAS FDM was designed to provide a certified training and further qualification offering on research data management for research infrastructure and data stewardship. This part-time course will take place for the first time in autumn 2025, with lecturers being supported in the production of high-quality online learning units and the creation and publication of OERs. The E-Science-Tage conference series[5], an interdisciplinary conference series on research data management and open science topics, is furthermore organized and offers a wide range of opportunities for professional exchange between research and infrastructure. The conference takes place biennially, with the next iteration scheduled for spring 2027.

bwFDM also offers RDM-related consultations and training, including setting up a ticket-based bwFDM helpdesk. Finally, the initiative also coordinates and supports the conception and creation of Baden-Württemberg's research data strategy, as well as its implementation together with representatives from all types of higher education institutions.

An outlook will be presented, showing, for example, the projected further development of forschungsdaten.info in the current phase as well as potential activities and perspectives for the time after the current funding phase.

REFERENCES
    [1] Baden-Württemberg FDM-Info, "Research Data Management in Baden-Württemberg," [Online]. Available: https://bwfdm.de/. [Accessed: Sep. 5, 2025].
    [2] Baden-Württemberg FDM-Info, "Über uns - Vorgängerprojekte," [Online]. Available: https://bwfdm.de/ueber-uns/vorgaengerprojekte/. [Accessed: Sep. 5, 2025].
    [3] Forschungsdaten.info, "Information platform for research data management," [Online]. Available: https://forschungsdaten.info/. [Accessed: Sep. 5, 2025].
    [4] University of Konstanz, "Certificate of Advanced Studies in Research Data Management," [Online]. Available: https://afww.uni-konstanz.de/de/fdm/certificate-advanced-studies-fdm. [Accessed: Sep. 5, 2025].
    [5] E-Science-Tage, "Conference on research data management for researchers and infrastructure operators" [Online]. Available: https://e-science-tage.de/. [Accessed: Sep. 5, 2025].