Helmholtz Metadata Collaboration - Building a Sustainable FAIR Data Ecosystem in a Changing Research Landscape

Launched in 2019 by the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres as part of its Information and Data Science Framework, the Helmholtz Metadata Collaboration (HMC) aims to translate global metadata concepts into application and harmonise scientific practice within the association. HMC's mission is to increase the visibility and reusability of data within Helmholtz and beyond, and to promote the FAIRness of Helmholtz data. HMC aims to create a sustainable, distributed, and semantically enriched Helmholtz FAIR data space spanning across the 18 autonomous Helmholtz centres and its six research fields (Aeronautics; Space & Transport; Earth & Environment; Energy; Health; Information; Matter).

The HMC’s work focuses on measures in three areas: (1) assessing and monitoring the state of FAIR data within Helmholtz; (2) facilitating the connectivity between Helmholtz research data; and (3) transforming metadata recommendations into implementations. These activities address multiple stakeholders, including the data producers, data professionals, research data infrastructure providers, and administrative staff. By increasing the coherence and connectivity of metadata, HMC aims to promote a more harmonised and efficient research environment.

Over the past years, the state of research data management and data FAIRness within Helmholtz was analysed through surveys and FAIR assessments. A technical backbone for connecting FAIR data in Helmholtz, including a Helmholtz Knowledge Graph, was developed to establish the Helmholtz FAIR data space. Outreach events highlighted the importance of metadata and demonstrated practical implementations, while training and consulting gave the community hands-on support to create better metadata. In collaboration with our communities, the implementation of aligned FAIR metadata practices and recommendations has been continued. Since 2020, 43 metadata projects have been funded across Helmholtz through HMC project calls. Contributions to working groups, projects and panels have ensured close intertwining with national and international research data management initiatives.

This contribution will outline the HMC's approach in detail, highlight key results, and set out steps involved in creating a Helmholtz FAIR data space. By sharing our experiences, we hope to encourage active discussions on metadata, relevant stakeholders, and the advancement of a FAIR data ecosystem.