RDM Expert Network

Context

Data stewards play a central role in enabling FAIR research, yet often find themselves isolated as the only ones with relevant expertise in their team or institution. Without structured and well-communicated opportunities for exchange, they risk working in silos, duplicating efforts, or missing key developments. Participation in expert networks is essential for knowledge and expertise sharing and for following community developments concerning standards, tools, and best practices. These networks serve both operational needs and long-term community building, and can operate at a local, national, or international level. Each of these levels delivers specific benefits. Local networks connect data stewards to institutional competence and infrastructure. National networks align data stewardship with national infrastructures, policy makers and funders. International networks, often provided under the umbrella of research infrastructures and initiatives such as ELIXIR, the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), and the Research Data Alliance (RDA), global alignments and (domain-relevant) knowledge exchange. A balanced presence across these levels strengthens both individual practice and institutional capacity. However, participation alone is not enough. The degree to which an organisation supports engagement, by providing time, budget, or strategic encouragement, signals its commitment to responsible, collaborative research. Institutions that invest in network involvement demonstrate that they value the professional growth of their data stewards and the broader impact of coordinated data management. The participation of data stewards in the expert network, alongside the organisation’s involvement in supporting it, creates a win-win situation. For data stewards, it makes their work easier and helps them stay up to date; for the organisation, it enables more effective and efficient data management.

Guidance

The following tips support data stewards and their institutions in progressing along the maturity indicator for expert networks. They are organised around three core drivers: institutional support, strategic engagement, and meaningful contribution, reflecting organisational experiences and the broader RDM maturity framework.

1. Build institutional support and recognition

✔ Get leadership on board

Demonstrate how networking contributes to service quality, professional growth, and alignment with national and international infrastructures. Highlight the strategic role of data stewards in embedding FAIR practices.

✔ Formalise support

Encourage your organisation to create clear mechanisms:

• Allocated time for participation
• Budget for travel or contributions
• Reporting or reflection loops to track network engagement

2. Strategically choose and balance your networks

✔ Map out your engagement across levels

Aim to participate in:

• Local networks for institutional alignment and peer support
• National initiatives for infrastructure, training, and policy
• International forums for trends, standards, and community leadership

✔ Prioritise structured networks

Focus on communities with working groups, defined outputs, and coordination roles.

3. Meaningfully contribute to networks

✔ Show up and share

Bring practical examples, tools, or challenges to share. Attend meetings, share what works (and what doesn’t), and promote your institution’s practices.

✔ Take initiative

Join a working group, help organise a session, lead a project, or contribute to a shared output.

✔ Reflect and amplify

Use network outputs locally (for example, a new policy or tool), then share back what you did. Communicate the outcomes of your network involvement within your organisation through brief reports, showcases or updates. Making these results visible reinforces institutional support and demonstrates the value of participation.

4. Help informal networks mature

✔ Support structure-building

If you’re in a grassroots network (e.g., Slack, Breakfast group), propose light coordination: rotating chairs, agendas, and taking notes.

✔ Use frameworks to guide growth

Apply tools like the Community Canvas or CSCCE models to clarify roles, identity, and sustainability.

Contributors