Essentials 4 Data Support

Essentials 4 Data Support is an introductory course for those people who (want to) support researchers in storing, managing, archiving and sharing their research data. Essentials 4 Data Support is a product of Research Data Netherlands.
The course focuses on anyone wanting to support researchers in storing, managing, archiving and sharing research data: a data supporter. Think, for instance, of (data) librarians, IT staff and researchers with duties involving data management.

Learning objectives

The name for the course – Essentials 4 Data Support – refers to the main goal of the course: teaching the basic knowledge and skills (essentials) to enable a data supporter to take the first steps towards supporting researchers in storing, managing, archiving and sharing their research data.

After the course, data supporters will have gained an insight into the phases in the lifecycle of scientific research data. Points of reference are given for each phase in order to advise researchers about adding value to their research data. View this table to see which competences will be paid attention to in this course.

With this course we mainly aim to offer a community and starting point for data supporters to meet and where they can benefit from each other’s newly gained knowledge and skills. We think that supporting researchers in being responsible for their research data is a team effort. IT staff, library staff, data librarians and data specialists all play their parts. If data supporters know where to find each other, everyone benefits – the researcher in particular.

Research disciplines vary greatly and each requires a specific approach that is not offered in this course.

Course structure

In addition to acquiring knowledge, it is the practicing and sharing of this knowledge which is key to Essentials 4 Data Support. You can take this course in two ways:

  1. Online only
    You have access to the chapters in the learning environment and can study them in whatever way that suits you and meets your learning needs. You will not have access to most assignments and quizzes.
  2. Full course (online + face 2 face with certificate)
    • The full course starts with a course day during which you will meet your fellow course participants, your instructors and a number of experts in the field. The instructors will also explain the structure of the online part of the course.
    • Until the second course day (about six weeks later) you will have time to study the content of the online learning environment. Among other things, you will be asked to do a current topic assignment, create a data management plan, reflect on your learning process, comment on a case about the legal framework for research data and end with an assignment of your choice.
      Google Drive (visible to you, your fellow course participants and the instructors) is used for sending in assignments.
    • The second course day focuses on presentations by the course participants and an evaluation. In addition, a number of experts will talk about their own experiences and you will receive a certificate – provided you have completed all assignments.

Time investment for the full course

In addition to the two course days, the average online study load is four to probably six hours per week (50 hours in total).

Costs

  • The online-only versions are free.
  • The full course costs € 895, exclusive of VAT.

Workshops academic year 2023 - 2024

There are no new course dates for the current academic year.

The course in the fall of 2024 will likely start in September and run until November. Please keep an eye on the Essentials 4 Data Support website for the exact dates.

You can start with the online-only versions at any time.

Questions

If you have any questions about the course, please contact cursus@researchdata.nl.