OpenAIRE and the World Data System (WDS) are continuing their partnership following the renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding. Together, they aim to build a more comprehensive and FAIR representation of research data infrastructures, highlighting the value of data repositories through their interconnections and contributions to Open Science.
OpenAIRE and the World Data System share a long-standing commitment to supporting data-driven research and Open Science. Through this collaboration, the two organisations will work together to strengthen research data infrastructures and improve how data repositories are represented, connected and assessed.
To achieve these shared goals, the World Data System and OpenAIRE will focus on a set of complementary objectives:
- Sharing good practices for data repositories
- Improving the understanding of the relationship between data repositories and other research infrastructures through metadata and knowledge graphs
- Collaborating on interoperability guidelines and vocabularies
- Promoting reciprocal certification and validation of practices through workshops, webinars, and conferences
These activities build directly on both organisations’ expertise. In particular, the collaboration will leverage the OpenAIRE Graph, one of the world’s largest open scholarly communication databases, to show communities how to better represent research data repositories and improve their links to publications, software, funders and organisations. Through WDS, the perspectives and practices of a global community of trusted data repositories will directly inform how repositories are described, connected and assessed within the Graph. This will help repository managers and research communities better demonstrate the role and impact of trusted data services within the wider research ecosystem.
The partnership will be implemented through joint virtual events, webinars and conference contributions, as well as collaborative work on monitoring tools and community gateways, including pilots using OpenAIRE CONNECT for WDS communities. The outcomes will benefit members of both organisations by supporting FAIR data practices, improving interoperability, and creating new opportunities to showcase the value of research data repositories. By encouraging the wider adoption of shared standards and good practices, the collaboration will help support a more connected, transparent and reusable research ecosystem.
“The World Data System looks forward to re-igniting a partnership with OpenAIRE to bolster data repositories and promote Open Science globally, enabling us to increase the visibility and show the value of our member repositories and services.” Meredith Goins, Executive Director, WDS
“This renewed partnership with the World Data System builds on a shared commitment to strengthening research data infrastructures through collaboration. By combining OpenAIRE’s work on metadata, knowledge graphs, and monitoring with WDS’s global community of trusted data repositories, we aim to improve how data services are represented, connected, and assessed. The focus is on creating practical, interoperable foundations that support FAIR and Open Science practices and help repositories demonstrate their value within the wider research ecosystem.” Joeri Both, Chair of OpenAIRE Executive Board and General Assembly
About WDS: Founded in 2008, the World Data System (WDS) is an affiliated body of the International Science Council (ISC). Its mission is to enhance the capabilities, impact and sustainability of its member repositories and data services by creating trusted communities of scientific data repositories, strengthening the scientific enterprise throughout the entire lifecycle of data to create first-class data that feeds first-class research output and by advocating for accessible data and transparent and reproducible science.
WDS’s International Program Office is hosted by the University of Tennessee’s Oak Ridge Innovation Institute and supported by a cooperative agreement (DE-SC0021915) with the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science.
WDS’s International Technology Office is hosted by Oceans Network Canada at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
About OpenAIRE: OpenAIRE is a Non-Profit Partnership, established in 2018 as a legal entity, OpenAIRE AMKE, to ensure a permanent open scholarly communication infrastructure and support research in Europe and beyond. OpenAIRE is making Open Science happen. Collectively and in practical ways. Its fields of expertise and activities include services, policies and training. Operating since 2009, OpenAIRE is an integral part and a leading force behind the European Open Science Cloud developments.
