Challenges in Research Data Sharing, How Can (Base4)NFDI Help

This presentation was given at the Mecila (Maria Sibylla Merian Centre for Conviviality-Inequality in Latin America) Institutional Workshop on Research Data Management at the University of Cologne (24–26 September 2025).

The talk began by introducing the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI), explaining its purposes, consortia structure, and international engagement. It then focused on Base4NFDI, detailing its funded basic services. A brief mention of the Ethical, Legal, and Social Aspects (ELSA) section served as a bridge to ethical questions related to data sharing, including the CARE Principles, AI risks, and dual-use concerns.

Legal questions such as the Nagoya Protocol and data protection requirements were also discussed. Finally, the presentation explored whether sharing data is easier in natural sciences than in the humanities, comparing bioinformatics (relatively straightforward), chemistry (moderate barriers), and engineering (significant obstacles due to complexity, intellectual property issues, and diverse data types).