About the DCC

In October 2019, NWO presented the implementation plan “Investeringen digitale onderzoeksinfrastructuur” [Investing in digital research infrastructure]. The recommendations in this plan concern the way in which the academic ICT infrastructure and associated expertise in the Netherlands can be strengthened, as well as how the investments for this can be achieved. The implementation plan foresees a combined approach, with investment in ICT facilities (hardware) as well as investment in a federated system of local and thematic Digital Competence Centres (DCC) plus one interuniversity DCC. The national DCC implementation network is managed by LCRDM and technically supported by SURF with a separate funding mechanism. The University of Groningen and the University Medical Centre of Groningen both received funding to start-up a DCC from NWO at the end of 2020.

Among other things, a DCC is tasked with:

• fulfilling the duty of care for data management from the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity from the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU) or the Code of Conduct from the Netherlands Federation of University Medical Centres (NFU), which include FAIR Data management;
• arranging facilities that enable researchers to manage data in such a way that the FAIR principles of the Open Science ambitions are met;
• coordinating/organising Data Stewardship and IT Research;
• forming a knowledge and advice centre for FAIR Data and software within the institution;
• being a hub in a federated network for data and expertise;
• coordinating and stimulating cooperation in cross-domain data-driven research and teaching within the local institution.

Source: LCRDM: DCC NL Implementation Network position paper - 30 May 2020