Groningen Digital Competence Centre receives NWO start-up grant

The Dutch Research Council (NWO) awarded a start-up financing to the Groningen Digital Competence Centre (GDCC) which is currently being set up. The GDCC is a collaboration between the University of Groningen Library (UB) and the Center for Information Technology (CIT) and will be the first point of contact for researchers and research support staff at the University of Groningen (UG) in the field of FAIR research data management. The already existing successful data initiatives Research Data Office (RDO) and Data Federation Hub (DFH) will be incorporated into the GDCC.

The GDCC brings together all relevant expertise on FAIR research data management within the UG in one place. The GDCC team members, each with their own expertise, will support both researchers and research support staff in the use of research data, research software and computing.

Research Data Office and Data Federation Hub evolve to become GDCC

The GDCC is a joint venture of the University of Groningen Library (UB) and the Centre for Information Technology (CIT). Employees of both services will staff the new organization. The GDCC is a further development of the already successfully established data initiatives Research Data Office (RDO) and Data Federation Hub (DFH). The new organisation is staffed by employees of both services. As a result, the GDCC will have extensive experience and short lines of communication with a large network of other research support structures within faculties, research institutes and services.

Organisationally, the GDCC will be embedded within the research support services of the CIT and will work closely with other support units of the UB and the CIT.

Additional grant to further develop the Virtual Research Environment

In addition to the start-up financing obtained for setting up the GDCC, NWO has also promised a contribution for opening up the UG's research infrastructure to national and international collaborations in the context of the further development of the UG's Virtual Research Environment.

Job vacancy for Programme Manager GDCC

A GDCC Programme Manager is currently being recruited who will further develop and set up the GDCC together with the team of data specialists. The aim is that the GDCC will have been integrated into the existing organisation within the next two years.

National network

The GDCC will be part of a national network of Digital Competence Centres. The NWO programme 'Local Digital Competence Centres' offered all Dutch universities, university medical centres as well as NWO and KNAW institutes the opportunity to apply for a one-time start-up funding.