THE LATVIAN DATA STEWARDS NETWORK BEGINS WORK: THE BEGINNING OF COOPERATION IN RESEARCH DATA MANAGEMENT

On September 27, 2024, the opening meeting of the project “Support for the implementation of open science in practice, as well as creating solutions for research data sharing and participation in the European Open Science Cloud” was held at the Anatomy Museum of Rīga Stradiņš University. It marked the establishment of the Latvian Research Data Stewards Network, bringing together representatives from four Latvian universities – Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU), the University of Latvia (LU), Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LBTU) and Riga Technical University (RTU) – as well as the Higher Education and Science IT Shared Services Center (VPC).  

The event was opened by RSU Vice-Rector for Science Agrita Kiopa and VPC Director Jānis Grēviņš, emphasising the importance of the data stewards network in the implementation of open science principles and the development of Latvian research. Michelle van den Berk from the Dutch National Research Data Expertise Centre DANS provided an international perspective, highlighting the importance of implementing the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles in research.  

RSU Associate Professor and Researcher Sergio Uribe shared his experience, emphasising the importance of data management in improving research quality and career growth. In turn, VPC Data Steward Daina Kosīte presented the support she received from data stewards at various stages of research while studying for a PhD at the Erasmus MC Medical Center in the Netherlands.  

The goal of the Latvian Data Stewards Network is to promote cooperation and knowledge exchange in research data management and open science. The establishment of the network is an important step towards more efficient and sustainable research data management in Latvia, providing researchers with support at all stages of the research data lifecycle.  

At the time of the launch event, 23 data stewards began working in the network, but since its establishment, the team has grown, expanding both institutional representation and professional competencies.