How can research data be better managed, shared - and actually reused? The E-Science Days 2025 once again showed how diverse and dynamic research data management (RDM) is evolving. The focus was on topics such as data stewardship, data literacy, data infrastructures and the reuse of research data. And right in the middle of it all: persistent identifiers (PIDs) - even if they are sometimes (still) too quiet in the discussion.
Data stewards as integral support in RDM
A key highlight was the keynote speech on the implementation of data stewards at the University of Zurich. There are currently 29 data stewards spread across four full-time positions and one half-time coordination position. The establishment of these positions has already led to a noticeable improvement in RDM practice - in particular through an increased number of training courses. Nevertheless, it became clear that the flow of information needs to be further optimized. Researchers often state that they are not aware of the relevant existing offers. This underlines the need to make training resources easy to find, especially via common search engines, as this is the usual way to search for information of any kind. This also applies to PID-related training: Visibility is not a given.
Strengthening data literacy in teaching
A recurring theme was the integration of RDM skills into academic education. The first successful examples can be found in chemistry, for example, where digital laboratory notebooks (ELNs) are already an integral part of several degree programs. Students who are familiarized with digital tools at an early stage often adopt them permanently in their research work. The early teaching of knowledge about PIDs and their benefits should also be systematically integrated into curricula in the future in order to promote sustainable data management from the outset.
Open educational resources on the DALIA platform
The DALIA platform is currently creating a central infrastructure for the collection and provision of learning materials on the topic of RDM. The initiative is being driven forward by NFDI consortia and the NFDI Training & Education section, among others. In the future, training resources from the PID4NFDI project will also be integrated there. This offers a great opportunity to make information on PIDs accessible in a structured and low-threshold manner.
Data citation between reproducibility and reuse
The reuse of research data remains a challenge. An evaluation of FIZ Karlsruhe's RADAR data repository showed that published datasets have so far been cited primarily for the purpose of traceability, while actual reuse is comparatively rare. The visibility of data citations in scientific metrics is also still lower than that of traditional text citations. An improved presentation - also with regard to the specific purpose of the citation - could make a decisive contribution here. In this context, PIDs make a significant contribution to clear referencing and should therefore be systematically integrated into data publication processes.
Platforms and concepts for FAIRer data management
In the discussion about Fair Digital Objects (FDOs), a concept was discussed in which data is given a kind of passport that contains standardized and verifiable metadata and identifiers and is both human- and machine-readable. The approach offers great potential for structured, interoperable and verifiable data management. In addition, the Coscine platform demonstrated how PIDs can be seamlessly integrated into FDM processes - from project conception to archiving. In this context, PIDs should not be seen as an add-on, but as a central structural feature.
Structural and organizational challenges
In a panel discussion, it became clear that although data stewardship is increasingly recognized as an established professional field, the specific design of the areas of responsibility varies greatly. Criticism was voiced of the often project-based and temporary funding, although these are in fact permanent tasks. The question of institutional anchoring - for example in libraries, IT departments or the administration - remains open in many places. In order to secure long-term resources, measurable successes and comprehensible benefit arguments are needed - here too, projects in the field of PIDs can make an important contribution through concrete application examples.
Conclusion: PIDs as a foundation for quality and visibility
The E-Science Days 2025 have once again shown how diverse RDM is - and how complex the challenges remain. PIDs in particular offer concrete solutions for visibility, reuse and quality assurance. To ensure that they are not just perceived as a technical detail, they must be anchored even more firmly in training courses, platforms and political arguments.
