Working group Track B
Research data infrastructure
The Research data infrastructure working group develops vocabulary for trusted repositories, regional data clouds (EOSC, NIH ODSS, ARDC Nectar, African Open Science Platform), biobanks, federated infrastructures and data trusts. It works with CoreTrustSeal, RDA, EOSC and national-cloud programmes so an institution can describe where its data lives, under what trust regime and with what access controls. The group complements the FAIR + CARE work by focusing on the substrate the data sits on.
Charter and scope
What this working group covers
The Research data infrastructure working group develops vocabulary for trusted repositories, regional data clouds (EOSC, NIH ODSS, ARDC Nectar, African Open Science Platform), biobanks, federated infrastructures and data trusts. It works with CoreTrustSeal, RDA, EOSC and national-cloud programmes so an institution can describe where its data lives, under what trust regime and with what access controls. The group complements the FAIR + CARE work by focusing on the substrate the data sits on.
- Trusted repository criteria and certification (CoreTrustSeal, ISO 16363)
- Federated and national infrastructure description
- Biobank, sample collection and tissue archive vocabulary
- Data-trust and data-collaborative governance structures
- EOSC, NIH ODSS, ARDC, AOSP and regional cloud profiles
- Repository selection guidance for depositors
- Sustainability, succession and rescue planning for infrastructure
Composition
Current composition
Co-chair
Seat open
Optional second chair, prioritised for regional or sector balance.
Apply for co-chair →Community seats
12 of 12 seats open
Seats are allocated against a published rubric covering domain expertise, institutional diversity, regional balance, and an explicit slot for early-career researchers.
Apply for a community seat →Deliverables
Planned and delivered deliverables
- Trusted-repository selection rubric for researchers
- Federated-infrastructure description profile
- Biobank vocabulary aligned with BBMRI-ERIC
- EOSC and regional-cloud profile crosswalks
- Data-trust governance taxonomy
Recent activity
Working-group cadence and milestones
Illustrative working-group cadence for the 2026 forming round. Substantive deliverables and meeting minutes will be linked here as the group convenes.
2026-05-15 · Milestone
Working group forming — call for chair candidates
Open call for chair and co-chair of the Research data infrastructure working group. Apply by 2026-06-30.
2026-04-22 · Release
Domain scope confirmed for v2026.2
Scope of the Research data infrastructure domain confirmed against the v2026.2 dictionary release plan.
2026-03-10 · Added
Forming round announced
CASRAI announced the 2026 forming round for all 20 working groups, with seat allocations and review rubric published.
Open consultations
Currently in public comment
Currently none open. Subscribe via /get-involved/comment for future calls.
External bodies
Standards and organisations we work with
Going deeper on CASRAI
Related CASRAI guidance
Adjacent working groups
Related working groups
How to join
Apply to a seat on this working group
All seats on this working group are open for the 2026 forming round. The application is short — name, institution, ORCID iD (optional), the seat you are applying for, and a paragraph on why this domain. Decisions are returned within four weeks of the close of the open-call window.
FAQ
Frequently asked
- What does this working group do?
The Research data infrastructure working group is the community body that drafts, reviews and ratifies dictionary entries for the Research data infrastructure domain. It maintains scope, cross-walks to adjacent standards and the cadence of public review. Its remit is summarised on this page; the canonical terms it stewards live at /dictionary/domain/data-infrastructure.
- Who can apply to join?
Working-group membership is open to qualified practitioners — researchers, research-office staff, librarians, publishers, repository managers, integrity officers, CRIS administrators, regulators and funders. Institutional membership is not required. The qualification test is competence and time, not affiliation. Apply via the working-group application form.
- What is the time commitment?
Cadence: Quarterly virtual sessions; two release windows per year (March and September).. Time commitment averages four hours per quarter for an active member, more for a chair. Asynchronous review happens between meetings via email. Chairs are recognised on the editorial masthead and serve a two-year term, renewable once.
- How are seats allocated?
Each working group has 12 community seats plus a chair and (optionally) a co-chair. Seats are filled by an open call reviewed against a published rubric: domain expertise, institutional diversity, regional balance, and an explicit slot for early-career researchers. All seats are currently open for the 2026 forming round — see how to apply.
- Can my institution sponsor a seat?
Institutional sponsorship is welcome but is not a route to a guaranteed seat. Sponsors support meeting infrastructure, public-comment publication and contributor honoraria; they receive named acknowledgement on the working-group page and in release notes. Sponsorship enquiries go to [email protected]. Seat selection remains on merit.
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