https://vimeo.com/232209813 Hugh Shanahan, Royal Holloway University of London: Contemporary research and evidence-based decision making cannot be done effectively without a range of data-related skills, such as, but not limited to, the principles and practice of Open Science, research data management and curation, data platforms and infrastructures implementation, data analysis, statistics, visualisation and modeling techniques, software development, and annotation. There remains a shortage of individuals with these skills worldwide. The CODATA-RDA School for Research Data Science brings these concepts and tools to communities that may not have been introduced to the wide range of open resources currently available. This two week course builds core data science skills and introduces open tools and resources for researchers. This talk will discuss these schools, their considerable progress so far and its future.

1. CODATA-RDA Schools of
Research Data Science
Hugh Shanahan, Royal Holloway, University of London @hughshanahan

2. https://vimeo.com/232209813

3. • Recognized need for basic and advanced data skills -
researchers need to be empowered to do more with their
data
• Without more widespread data handling, data
management and data science skills the benefits of the
data revolution and open data will not be fully realized.
• UNESCO - 1270 researchers per million. => ~8 Million
researchers worldwide
• EOSC HLEG 500K “Data Stewards” (advanced data
skills) need in Europe in the next decade.
The Need

4. • CODATA-RDA schools attempt to provide a foundation for
researchers in all of the relevant skills.
• Particular focus on delivering teaching to Low and Middle
Countries. Gaps and potential gains most notable here.
• Through line of Open Science, Open Data, and ethical data use.
• Goal - build a common curriculum delivered in many locations.
• Focus on building a community for students to continually
leverage.
The Schools

5. • As much as possibly build on and blend existing
materials and partner with existing projects
• Simple Things, Explained Well
• Aim for core curriculum and easy delivery
• Long term obsolescence
Strategy

6. Curriculum
Open Science
Research Data Management
Author Carpentry
Software Carpentry
Visualisation
Analysis
Computational Infrastructures
Materials can be found at http://bit.ly/2sBuLm5

7. • Data Trieste 16
• 340 applicants ! 67 students from 39 countries
• Data Trieste 17
• 561 applicants ! 43 students from 29 countries
• Additional week of advanced topics
• Data Sao Paulo 17
• 401 applicants ! 35 students accepted
• Data Trieste 18
• 6-17 August
• Data Africa 18
• Yet Undetermined Date and Location
• Data Sao Paulo 18
• Yet Undetermined Dates
Events

8. • Scaling up - the operation is logistically large
• Growing cohort of instructors and helpers
• How does it get more streamlined?
• Core curriculum - how to grow it?
• How to track student progress and gather meaningful
metrics of success
• Becoming sustainable
Challenges

10. Thanks for your time !
Chairs of CODATA Task Group
Rob Quick - Indiana University
Ciira Maina - Dedan Kimathi University of Technology
Hugh Shanahan - RHUL
Sarah Jones - Digital Curation Centre