Establishing RDM Consultancy Services in Universities: A Roadmap

Universities across Europe face growing challenges in supporting effective, compliant, and sustainable Research Data Management (RDM). While many institutions already provide training, templates, and guidance, these services may fall short for large and complex research groups or projects funded through ERC, Horizon, or other major grants. To address this gap, a structured RDM Consultancy provides tailored, hands-on, and collaborative support that embeds RDM practices directly within the workflows of researchers. 

This document provides a detailed framework for designing, implementing, and evaluating such a programme. It is based on the practical experience of piloting the RDM Consultancy service at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and can serve as a blueprint for other universities wishing to replicate this approach.

The core idea is to combine expertise from data stewards (and, in this case, consultants) with the active participation of research groups. The consultancy provides practical outputs, such as operational electronic lab notebooks (ELNs), structured data storage systems, and tailored metadata templates, while simultaneously building capacity within research groups to sustain these practices independently. This document outlines the programme’s scope, processes, governance, evaluation mechanisms, and success factors, offering universities a clear path toward establishing and continuously improving their own RDM consultancy offers.