Why this case
What problem or gap did this work address?
Research data management (RDM) and data stewardship have developed differently across the Nordic countries. Although national initiatives existed, there was no coordinated Nordic forum for data stewards to exchange knowledge, address common challenges, or strengthen the profession collectively.
This particularly affected data stewards and research support staff, many of whom worked in small communities without clear career paths, peer networks, or opportunities for collaboration. Growing FAIR and Open Science requirements, combined with shared challenges around skills, infrastructure, and professional recognition, created momentum for a regional network.
The idea for a Nordic network was inspired by previous collaboration on the Skills4EOSC project, one of whose objectives was to establish such data steward networks. The network of Competence Centers also helped demonstrate the value of cross-organizational collaboration.
The timing for action emerged around 2023–2025. Several parallel developments created momentum:
- increasing policy pressure for FAIR data
- growing demand for data stewardship skills
- shared challenges: lack of professionalisation, infrastructure gaps, and limited training pathways
- strong interest in Nordic collaboration, driven by existing national networks
What we did
The Nordic Data Stewardship Network (NDSN) was created as a cross-border community to connect data stewardship professionals and support collaboration across Nordic countries. The initiative began with a simple question: Could there be a shared Nordic platform for data stewardship?
Tools, structures, and formats:
- Lightweight governance: Steering group, shared leadership
- Networking: Online events, workshops, and a hybrid seminar in Espoo (May 2026)
- Communication: Shared platform, discussion forum, newsletter
- Resources: Shared “playbook” for collaboration, leveraging existing national networks (e.g., Denmark, Finland), existing infrastructures and coordination bodies in each country ELIXIR, EOSC, and FAIR-aligned tools and resources.
Engagement in practice:
- Nordic networking events (first in October 2025) and workshops brought stakeholders together to define goals and priorities.
- Ongoing discussions identified common challenges, including professional recognition, infrastructure gaps, and legal complexities.
- Activities focused on community-building and peer exchange.
Formalisation phase:
A key milestone was the Copenhagen in-person steering group meeting (2025), where:
- Terms of Reference were finalised
- Communication structures were agreed upon
- Collaboration with NeIC (Nordic e-Infrastructure Collaboration) was formalised
- Leadership roles were defined and handed over
Effort involved:
The network grew incrementally through in-kind contributions from participating organisations, with coordination shared across countries rather than funded through a single project.
What changed
The most immediate change was the creation of a visible, cross-national community of practice for data stewardship in the Nordic region. Data stewards now have a platform for connecting with peers across countries, sharing experiences, and discussing common challenges. The network has also introduced basic governance and communication structures that support continued collaboration without imposing heavy administrative overhead.
Outputs and results
- Establishment of a formal Nordic network for data stewards
- A cross-national steering group and governance structure
- Shared platforms for communication, networking, and collaboration
- A growing community with potential to grow to several hundred participants, reflecting the size of the Nordic data stewardship community
- Increased visibility of data stewardship as a professional field
Evidence it worked
- Strong participation in initial networking events
- Continued engagement from multiple Nordic countries and Estonia.
- Adoption of shared goals and mission across national contexts
Barriers encountered
- Differences in national maturity levels and infrastructures
- Lack of formal career paths and recognition for data stewards
- Sustainability and funding challenges
- Legal and technical differences between countries (e.g. GDPR interpretation, infrastructure gaps)
Enablers
- Strong existing national communities and initiatives
- Common challenges and shared objectives
- Cultural alignment and the tradition of Nordic collaboration
- Lightweight governance model enabling flexibility
- Enthusiastic champions across institutions
Current status
The network is still evolving. While structures are in place, long-term sustainability, funding, and formalisation of outputs are ongoing areas of development.
What we’d tell others
What worked
One of the main lessons is the value of starting with a shared need rather than a fully defined solution. In the case of NDSN, the initial question, whether there should be a Nordic platform for data stewardship, created space for a collaborative process in which the network could evolve organically. This made it easier to build trust and ensure that the initiative reflected real needs across countries.
- Start with a shared question, not a fixed solution. The initial “what if” framing allowed the network to grow organically.
- Build on existing communities. Leveraging national networks avoided duplication and increased trust.
- Use lightweight governance. Shared leadership across countries enabled participation without heavy bureaucracy.
- Focus on people, not just infrastructure. The network succeeded by prioritising community-building and peer support.
What didn’t work
- Assuming uniform readiness across countries. Differences in maturity required flexible approaches rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.
- Unclear sustainability early on. Gradually addressed funding and long-term coordination instead of solving it upfront.
- Balancing formalisation and openness. Too much structure risked slowing momentum, so governance remained intentionally lightweight.
Transferability and scaling
The model is well suited to regions with:
- Existing RDM or data stewardship initiatives
- A collaborative culture across institutions
- Shared policy drivers such as FAIR, EOSC and Open Science Success depends on committed champions, basic coordination capacity, and willingness to work through distributed leadership. Additional adaptation may be needed where support structures are fragmented or less mature.
Adaptations may be needed where:
- National systems are highly fragmented or competitive
- There is no existing baseline of RDM support or policy alignment
Sustainability and next steps
Looking ahead, the main priorities for the coming years include:
- Strengthening the professionalisation of data stewardship
- Expanding participation and visibility
- Developing shared training materials, guidance, and career frameworks
- Secure funding or embed coordination within sustainable organisational structures
External resources
| Category | Resource | Description |
|---|---|---|
| External | Nordic Data Stewardship Network | NDSN home page |
Related pages
Diana Pilvar
University of Tartu
Minna Ahokas