Workshop
Demystifying research data interoperability: A joint Leiden / Delft workshop
- Datum
- donderdag 26 februari 2026
- Tijd
- Toelichting
- Voertaal: Engels.
- Bezoekadres
-
Wijnhaven
Turfmarkt 99
2511 DP Den Haag - Zaal
- 2.17
~ Omdat de voertaal van de workshop Engels is, is de informatie hieronder ook in het Engels ~
Interoperability with what.. why and how? What is an ontology and where does the metadata go? Who controls the vocabularies? Is this just for machines?
Interoperability is perhaps the hardest concept to grasp in the FAIR principles. Let’s work together to find out what is the best way to support the researchers to achieve it.
The workshop explores the following themes:
- Definition: What do we mean by data interoperability? How its definitions matter, and what is the practical consequences for research data? What level of interoperability is enough for which purpose? How to communicate this to researchers?
- Motivation: Why is data interoperability necessary for research? How to motivate researchers to spend (limited) time on providing such information? How to facilitate also the data steward in supporting interoperability? What are the benefits of metadata for research groups? What is the role of LLMs for interoperability now and in near future?
- Guidance: What are the best practices to achieve interoperability in general and discipline-specific instances? How to select a vocabulary to recommend, what are the features of a “good” controlled vocabulary? What are types of information needed for interoperability? Who can support the supporter?
- Tools: How do our widely used repositories handle metadata? How to include metadata in commonly used services? Are there tools to help choosing terms and vocabularies?
- Peer support: Additional aim of the workshop is also to foster collaboration and peer support network between TU Delft and Leiden University data support communities. Services of TDCCs and research infrastructures: what would be needed and what kind of tools would be useful? Could “AI” help us?
Programme
9:00 – 9:15 Introductions, starting coffee
Part I: Setting the scene
9:15- 10:00 Presentation: What does data interoperability mean? Why do we do it? Is it worth the effort? Facets of interoperability (Ari Asmi)
10:00-10:15 Discussion: Does the viewpoints presented match reality in the sciences? Viewing the data interoperability from different perspectives in your faculties.
10:15-10:30 Coffee break
Part II: Challenges of interoperability
10:30-11:00 Typical challenges of interoperability in in different thematic areas TDCCs
11:00-12:00 Group work: identifying domain / data type specific challenges from different perspectives (done on groups divided by their data types)
12:00-13:00 Lunch
Part III: Current tools and intended workflows
13:00-13:30 Presentation: Tools offered by the TDCCs, repositories and other providers (and their limitations (TDCCs)
13:30-14:00 Presentation: Ontologies – what are they and why they could be useful? (Dani Metilli, TDCC-NES)
14:00-14:15 Coffee break
Part IV: Towards new solutions
14:30-15:15 Group work: “Ideal tools” for different challenges of data interoperability facilitation. What is missing?
15:15-15:30 Group work presentations
Part V: Future
15:30-16:00 Next steps on interoperability – what can we do to improve data interoperability in our organisations? (+5 min short presentation on results of the survey for Data Stewards)
Joint discussion: moderation by Ari Asmi
16:00 - Borrel
Target audience and registration
We invite the research data professionals, particularly data stewards, from both Leiden University and TU Delft, and experts from relevant Dutch data support organisations.
Please note that registration is now closed and the workshop is fully booked.