
2025-10-20
Newly Published! An international panel session during the Base User Conference provided some critical take-away’s.
International experts gathered at the bi-yearly German CoRDI conference in September to discuss future directions for sustainable research data infrastructure. Panellists from the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, and global data organizations agreed that long-term infrastructure success hinges on robust community engagement, strong international partnerships, and balancing technical excellence with human factors.
Speakers stressed that sustainable services depend on both financial models and ongoing trust from user communities. Panelists advocated for transparent development processes, early and continuous user involvement, and inclusive organizational cultures. Emphasizing the importance of metrics and stories alike, experts urged infrastructure teams to prepare clear investment cases tailored to public and private funders.
The need to transition smoothly from project-based development to operational services was a central theme, as was the call for dynamic documentation, visible impact, and adaptive strategies. The session concluded with a challenge for Base4NFDI: to lead by example, combining national expertise and open governance with ongoing support for the people and partnerships at the heart of research infrastructure.
Read the full report here Miller, B., Rettberg, N., & Zänkert, S. (2025). Building Sustainable Infrastructures: Lessons Learnt & Future Directions – Takeaways from a panel discussion. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17345660

Credit: Melina Jander, Base4NFDI Office