We are delighted to announce the successful conclusion of the EUDAT Summer School 2023, which took place in the picturesque city of Kajaani, Finland, from the 26th to the 30th of June. With a total of 19 trainers and 24 trainees from all corners of Europe and beyond, the event was an enriching experience for all participants.

The EUDAT Summer School 2023 was designed to equip attendees with the essential skills and knowledge required to excel in data management throughout the entire research-data lifecycle. Participants had the unique opportunity to delve into various aspects of data management, including data discovery, data processing, data analysis, data preservation, and publishing.

Diverse Tracks for Different Needs 

To cater to the diverse needs of the participants, the school's courses were thoughtfully divided into two tracks:

1. Providers Track: This track was tailored for research or academic institution IT system administrators, community or data managers who aimed at providing research data services for their communities. Participants in this track received comprehensive insights into deploying EUDAT services, empowering them to support their respective research communities effectively.

2. Users Track: Geared towards early career researchers, Bachelor's, Master's, PhD, or Postdoc students, this track focused on providing the latest best practices in research data management across the complete research data lifecycle. Attendees in this track gained valuable skills that are crucial in navigating complex research environments.

Exciting Opportunities Beyond Classroom Sessions

Beyond the enriching classroom sessions, the EUDAT Summer School 2023 offered participants unique experiences. The highlight of the event was the visit to the esteemed LUMI supercomputing center. Witnessing cutting-edge technologies in action left the participants inspired and enlightened.

Additionally, to foster a sense of community and camaraderie, a memorable steamboat social event was organized. This event served as an excellent platform for participants to network, share experiences, and build lasting connections with like-minded peers and experts in the field of data management.

Supporting the Community

EUDAT remains dedicated to promoting inclusivity and accessibility. To ensure the participation of talented individuals from diverse locations, the summer school provided free room and board, along with partial travel funding, to all participants. We are proud to support the continuous growth and advancement of the data management community across Europe and beyond.

Gratitude and Looking Forward

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the trainers, trainees, and organizers who contributed to the resounding success of the EUDAT Summer School 2023. It is your enthusiasm, passion, and eagerness to learn that made this event truly remarkable.

As the curtains fall on this year's summer school, we eagerly look forward to the future and hope to continue providing valuable opportunities to strengthen data management skills and foster a connected and empowered research community.

Stay tuned for more updates, and we hope to welcome you back for future EUDAT events!

SOME DATA FROM SURVEYS: 

1. Over ⅔ of attendees said the School exceeded expectations

2. Instructors received a 100% positive rating for their knowledge and teachings

3. 100% of the attendees would recommend the Summer School

4. Survey responses highlighted the importance and novelty of distinguishing between service providers and users, the efficiency of EUDAT tools and services, and the applicability of the School’s teachings.

SOME QUOTES:

FROM TRAINERS:
“Sensitive data is a topic many organizations are struggling with, so it’s important to spread our rich expertise on handling this kind of data and metadata.”-Mark V.
“The use cases are an integral part of the Summer School experience that allows both students and experts to learn more about real applications of EUDAT services.”-Mark V.

“It’s wonderful to see people from all over Europe and even outside of it coming to learn about data management services.” -Chris A.

“We have a wide and diverse range of HPC services in Europe, which is why learning how to use powerful and complicated computing resources in an easy way is so important.” -Martin G.

“Initiatives like the EUDAT Summer School are very helpful, especially for those at the early stages of their professional careers, because they get the opportunity to ask questions and network with other professionals.” -Marjan G.

“We encourage the School’s attendees to think critically about how to implement technical IT services at all levels, from infrastructure to coding to UX.” -Sven B.

FROM TRAINEES:

“It’s not just about me, it’s about bringing back to my organization, and more broadly to my country, the important knowledge and tools that I’ve acquired during this Summer School.” -Nobubele S.

“I learned a lot about data lifecycle processes and got acquainted with a very useful toolset.” -Iryna Z.

“The Summer School taught me the importance of making my data follow the FAIR principles… and as a data scientist, I will certainly implement the sensitive data processes.” Benjamin A.

“This course gave me a lot of details on data management policies that I can apply to my own PhD project, as well as learning a lot on data sharing and accessibility.” -Xuejiao L.