RDNL Community Platform annual event: Building the foundations

With support from Open Science NL, Research Data Netherlands (RDNL) is developing a national training and community platform for data professionals. Building on existing RDNL training activities, the platform is co-created with the community and focuses on skills and capacity development, national and international collaboration, and sustainable governance and recognition. As part of this work, we will be hosting another community event. On 9 March 2026, RDNL brought together data professionals from across the Netherlands for our first community event as part of the RDNL training platform initiative. It was a valuable moment to exchange experiences, openly acknowledge challenges, and explore how we can better support one another as a community. This deposit contains the report describing the event, as well as presentation slides, workshop posters, shared notes, and other materials associated with the event. Event Details Date: Monday 9 March 2026 Time: 10.00 – 16.00 (lunch included) Location: Congresgebouw De Vereeniging (Mariaplaats 14, 3511 LJ, Utrecht). The venue is located less than 500 metres away from Utrecht Centraal. Agenda 10.00 - 10.30Registration with coffee and tea 10.30 - 11.00Welcome and getting to know each other 11.00 - 11.45 Plenary session: Building sustainable foundations for data professionals 11.45 - 12.30 Interactive plenary: Shaping the future of the Training and Community Platform together 12.30 - 13.30 Networking lunch 13.30 - 14.15 Breakout sessions round 1 14.15 - 14.30 Transfer time, coffee and tea 14.30 - 15.15 Breakout sessions round 2 15.15 - 15.30 Transfer time, coffee and tea 15.30 - 16.00 Wrap up & closure 16.00 - 16.45Drinks Breakout sessions Breakout 1: Commiserating over good and bad RDM practices through gamificationBjørn Bartholdy (TU Delft), Stefan Kirsch (Tilburg University), Anne Mutsaars-Aarts (Tilburg University) Bad research data management. We've all been there. The way forward is to share a laugh, discuss good (enough) practice, and learn from our past mistakes. This is best done over a game that encourages playful interactions. In this session we will develop a data (stewardship) extension to an existing game, Open Science Against Humanity. Cards will be developed by participants during a discussion on good and bad practices in data stewardship. And we will of course play the game! Breakout 2: Draw your learning path!Dorien Huijser (TU Delft / RDNL) and Fieke Schoots (Health-RI / RDNL)RDNL is building a national training programme that includes pre-made learning paths for research data professionals. We want to learn from you how you envision such a learning path. Have fun with colours, be creative, and guide data stewards on their learning journey! This workshop takes place in both workshop rounds. In the first round, we will together draw learning paths. In the second round, we will continue along the paths taken. Participants are welcome in one ór both rounds Breakout 3: Active listening skills for research data professionalsNami Sunami (TU Eindhoven) and Mijke Jetten (Health-RI / RDNL) Research data professionals are constantly in conversation with researchers, IT staff and policy makers. In this interactive session, we explore effective and ineffective communication behaviours. Participants will practise concrete listening skills to strengthen constructive and supportive conversations.