"Rent a Data Steward" - A Lasting Model for Cross-Institutional Research Data Management Support?

Description

Abstract (English)

The pilot project “Rent a Data Steward”, launched in 2023 by the Thuringian Competence Network for Research Data Management, was designed to support research groups at Thuringian universities and universities of applied sciences in developing practical solutions to their research data management (RDM) challenges. Rather than providing standardized guidance, the project adopted a collaborative and consultative approach: data stewards acted as sparring partners who helped researchers identify needs, reflect on workflows, and explore best practices tailored to their specific contexts.

As the project approaches its conclusion at the end of 2026, this contribution reflects on its development, achievements, and limitations to evaluate whether this approach can be considered a successful and sustainable support model. Based on our practical experiences across Thuringian higher education institutions, we analyze the conditions that facilitated or hindered implementation. Particular attention is paid to the importance of engagement and commitment of the involved parties, the importance of available technical and organizational support structures, and the benefits of group-centered training formats.

The model proved especially valuable where research groups were able to articulate concrete needs and where institutional structures enabled follow-up and implementation. At the same time, limited on-campus presence, varying levels of RDM knowledge, and resource constraints restricted the impact of the service.

Based on these experiences and with alternative RDM support models implemented in the German RDM community in mind, we outline possible future scenarios for cross-institutional data stewardship. Such a model may offer a viable way to provide domain-agnostic data stewardship for smaller-sized institutions that cannot establish such roles locally, while also complementing project-based or discipline-specific data stewards through coordination and flexible support.

Notes (English)