RDM Service Catalogue
Research data life cycle
The research life cycle refers to the series of stages through which a research project or study progresses from inception to completion. Although the specifics of the research process vary across disciplines, they share several key phases that help ensure that the research is systematic, rigorous, and produces reliable results. From planning and designing your study, to collecting and analyzing data, evaluating results, and finally sharing and disseminating your findings in a FAIR manner.
Storage and collaboration is a key component at every stage of the research cycle, and all research is built on a solid foundation of training and education. Furthermore, your research activities must always adhere to the University’s policies and guidelines.
The University of Freiburg offers a wide range of tools and services that can assist you in your RDM activities at every stage of the research life cycle.
Browse available tools and services by stage of the research data life cycle. Use the search bar to quickly find what you are looking for.
Tags: planning, collecting, storage, collaboration, analysis, publication, archiving, training
planning
Plan & Design
The University of Freiburg offers multiple 🗫 Support services to researchers who are in the process of planning their research and obtaining funding.
🗎 Data Management Plans (DMP) are increasingly becoming an integral part of applications for funding.
A Data Management Plan details how data will be identifiable, accessible, and documented for deposit, sharing, and reuse. Ideally, the entire Research Data Lifecycle should be taken into account in the planning phase of research projects.
On the left you will find tools and resources to help you plan and design your research
🗫 Support Services:
- Freiburg Research Services (FRS) – Overarching Research Service that includes:
- Graduate Center (GraCe) – Service point for doctoral candidates
- Science Support Center (SSC) – Support for postgraduate researchers
- EU Office – Support for EU funding programmes
- Research Partnerships and Structures (FRS) – Research strategy
🗎 Data Management Plan tools:
planning
Freiburg Research Services (FRS)
Freiburg Research Services are comprised of the Graduate Centre (GraCe), EU Office, Science Support Centre (SSC), and Research Partnerships and Structures (RPS). Freiburg Research services supports researchers of the University of Freiburg regarding all questions of research funding.
As a central service, Freiburg Research Services also offers support and guidance for the research infrastructures and centres at the university. In addition to the support of established researchers and postdocs as well as advisory and qualification services for doctoral candidates, FRS also advises students who are interested in pursuing a doctorate at the University of Freiburg.
Service Provider: UFR
Contact: sekretariat.frs@zv.uni-freiburg.de
planning
Graduate Centre (GraCe)
The Graduate Centre (GraCe) is the central service point for doctoral candidates offering transdisciplinary advising, qualification and financial support.
Guided by the intention to create the best possible conditions for doctoral research at the university. The advisory board, which has an eye on these conditions, therefore includes representatives from all faculties – and the doctoral candidates themselves. Because this is also an important objective for GraCe: giving doctoral candidates a strong voice.
Services offered by GraCe include:
- qualification programme with 70 to 80 courses and workshops per year
- advising on doctoral process, funding options, career coaching as well as counselling
- state graduate funding programme and GraCe travel scholarships
- information on doctoral studies at the UFR as well as the topics of good research practice and supervision culture
Service Provider: UFR
Contact: GraCe Team
planning
Science Support Centre (SSC)
The Science Support Centre provides comprehensive advising and support for postgraduate researchers at the University of Freiburg (except medicine) in all phases of planning and preparing proposals of third-party-funded research projects.
The SSC service is also open for incoming researchers, who would like to move to the University of Freiburg within the scope of an individual DFG application such as Emmy Noether, Heisenberg or “Eigene Stelle” (Temporary Positions for Principal Investigators).
From the initial idea to the successful completion of your project, the SSC helps to create windows for research and to enhance the visibility and attractiveness of Freiburg as a research location.
Service Provider: UFR
Contact: SSC team
planning
EU Office
The EU Office is the central contact point for all matters concerning funding programmes for education and research offered by the European Union.
The EU office services mainly include:
- collecting and disseminating information on the various European research programmes and calls for proposals;
- conducting the administrative work involved in preparing applications;
- supporting applicants in negotiating contracts, and formally concluding contracts for projects approved by the European Union;
- assisting in supervising ongoing projects;
- providing support with reporting and auditing.
In addition, the EU Office is responsible for organizing all educational programmes funded by the European Union, particularly the Erasmus Programme.
Service Provider: UFR
Contact: EU office team
planning
Research Partnerships and Structures (RPS)
The Department of Research Partnerships and Structures (RPS) is the central point of contact for the University of Freiburg’s profile and emerging fields as well as research structures and facilities during the implementation phase and beyond. This is done in close cooperation with the participating researchers and the respective responsible departments of the Central University administration.
RPS covers the following areas of central research management:
- Research strategy (among others, office of the Research Board)
- Profile and emerging fields
- Excellence projects and research centers
- Research infrastructure (among others, office of the Research Infrastructure Board)
- Partnerships with external institutions (non-university research institutions, non-profit foundations)
Service Provider: UFR
Contact: RPS team
planning
RDMO
The Research Data Management Organiser (RDMO) supports research projects in the planning, implementation and administration of all research data management tasks.
Service Provider: RDMO association
planning, collaboration
Data Stewardship Wizard (DSW)
Leading open-source platform for collaborative and living data management plans trusted worldwide — from data management pioneers to international research institutes.
Building a data management plan and providing high-quality research data requires many considerations that can be overwhelming and hard to start with. In DSW, you do not have to write a lot of text. Instead, you answer understandable questions in smart questionnaires, get links to external resources, FAIR metrics indications and more. These questions can have some follow-ups based on your answers or can be connected to external resources.
Service Provider: ELIXIR Europe
planning
DMP Online
DMPonline helps you to create, review, and share data management plans that meet institutional and funder requirements. It is provided by the Digital Curation Centre (DCC). Public DMPs are plans created using the DMPonline service and shared publicly by their owners. They are not vetted for quality, completeness, or adherence to funder guidelines.
Service Provider: The Digital Curation Centre (DCC)
planning
ARGOS
Argos is an open and collaborative platform developed by OpenAIRE to facilitate Research Data Management (RDM) activities concerning the implementation of Data Management Plans. It uses OpenAIRE guides created by the RDM Task Force to familiarize users with basic RDM concepts and guide them throughout the process of writing DMPs. It also utilises the OpenAIRE pool of services and inferred sources to make DMPs more dynamic in use and easier to be completed and published. Argos is based on the OpenDMP open source software and is available through the OpenAIRE Service catalogue and the EOSC.
Is Argos designed for one specific funder, e.g. the EC/Horizon Europe?
Argos is a flexible tool, designed to accommodate all research performing and research funding organisations’ policies and Research Data Management (RDM) needs. It already supports templates for different authorities. These templates are created by Admin users in Argos. In addition, we currently work to provide non-administrative users with the capability to modify templates according to their own needs.
Why use Argos?
Argos is easy to use and navigate around. It familiarises users with the DMP process and provides guidance on basic RDM concepts so that users find useful resources to learn from without having to leave the Argos environment. Users can invite their colleagues and collaboratively work on completing a DMP. Moreover, Argos is an integral part of the OpeAIRE ecosystem and the Research Graph. Argos integrates other services of the ecosystem to enable contextualisation of information, which is especially useful when data are re-used, for example to understand how/ if they can be repurposed.
Who is Argos for?
Argos is designed as a tool for inclusive use by researchers, students, funders, research communities and institutions. It can be used in the context of research projects’ conduct to comply with funders’ RDM requirements, as a tool in support of literacy programmes in academia or can be independently deployed to meet given stakeholder demands. Also, it is available in native languages, thanks to the help of OpenAIRE NOADs, which strengthens common understanding of all researchers involved in the DMP writing process. By using Argos, researchers and students are able to create their DMPs in collaboration with other colleagues, learn basic RDM concepts throughout the process and publish DMPs as outputs in an open and FAIR manner, among other things by assigning DOIs and licenses and by maintaining DMPs as living documents through versioning. At the same time, Argos can be configured and deployed by funders, institutions and research communities. They can plug in their own services and/ or make use of OpenAIRE underlying services that Argos is built with ad-hoc.
Service Provider: OpenAIRE
collecting, analysis
Collect & Analyse
Data Collection is the process of obtaining scientific data, e.g. with questionnaires, scientific instruments, simulations on high-performance computers, or other methods. In this process, it is also important to collect the necessary metadata to describe the research data.
Data analysis is a process of inspecting, cleaning, transforming and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making. For large datasets this often requires high-performance computing resources.
On the left you will find tools and resources to help you collect and analyse your research data
- UFR Instrumentation Database – All scientific instruments available withing the University
- Galaxy – User-friendly bioinformatics
- OMERO – Image analysis platform
- DH Lab – Digital Humanities Lab
High-Performance Computing (HPC):
collecting, analysis
UFR Device Database
The major instrumentation database (Großgeraetedatenbank) or device database, catalogues all existing and planned major research instrumentation at the University of Freiburg (e.g. mass spectrometers, computer tomographs, specialised microscopes, and much more).
Search this database to find, and request access to, scientific measuring instruments available within the University.
Service Provider: UFR
Support: Großgeraetedatenbank@zv.uni-freiburg.de
analysis, storage (short-term)
High-Performance Computing (HPC)
There are multiple HPC resources available for researchers of the University of Freiburg:
bwHPC
The state of Baden-Württemberg offers many HPC resources in the state. For example the bwHPC clusters (bwForClusters, bwUniCluster) at the entry level are available for researchers and students from the state of Baden-Württemberg. They run a wide range of Open Source and commercial software packages. Researchers with a very high demand in computing resources can use clusters and supercomputers at higher levels.
Service Provider: Computer Center UFR
Support: hpc-support@hpc.uni-freiburg.de
bwForCluster NEMO
The bwForClusters are for researchers in selected research fields. The bwForCluster NEMO in Freiburg is available for researchers of the scientific communities: Neuroscience, Elementary Particle Physics, Microsystems Engineering and Material Science. The bwUniCluster is available for all researchers and students from the state of BW.
Service Provider: Computer Center UFR
Support: hpc-support@hpc.uni-freiburg.de
ATLAS-BFG
ATLAS-BFG is the name for the HPC resources in Freiburg related to the LHC ATLAS project.
As of August 2016, the Black Forest Grid is exclusively used by the LHC ATLAS experiment and related users from the University of Freiburg.
If you are looking for the “classic” BFG, this HPC resource has been superseded by the bwHPC initiative.
Service Provider: Computer Center UFR
Support: hpc-support@hpc.uni-freiburg.de
analysis, storage, collaboration, training
Galaxy
Galaxy is a free and open-source web-based platform for data analysis. GalaxyEU is the largest Galaxy in Europe and is managed by the University of Freiburg, it is free to use for everybody.
Over 450 tutorials in the Galaxy Training Network (GTN) will guide you through scientific analyses in Galaxy step-by-step.
Galaxy is
- User-friendly – no programming knowledge required
- Easy – All you need is a browser!
- Versatile – over 10,000 popular bioinformatics tools available
- Scalable – whether you are analysing 1 sample or 10,000 Galaxy is for you
- Collaborative – share your analysis pipelines, results or data with others
- FAIR – Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable
- Community-driven – Anybody can contribute tools, tutorials and workflows to Galaxy
- Supportive – Extensive support from the community via Matrix chat and the Galaxy Help Forum
There are different storage options on Galaxy EU depending on your needs.
Service Provider: Galaxy Group, Backofen Lab, UFR
Support: Matrix chat, Galaxy-EU channel (use in browser, or install Element)
analysis, collaboration
Digital Humanities Lab (DH Lab)
The Digital Humanities Lab (DH Lab) is a central institution of the seminars and institutes of the Faculty of Philology at the University of Freiburg. In close collaboration with other digital structures and offers at the university, it serves as a forum and service facility for researchers in the field of digital humanities.
The DH Lab is a place for exchange, networking and consulting on digital methods and tools. The offer is based on the latest developments in the study of language(s), communication, cognition, edition, textuality, film analysis, distant reading, etc. in the digital age.
The DH Lab has the most modern infrastructure that can be used for its own research projects.
Service Provider: Faculty of Philology, UFR
Contact: dh-lab@mail.uni-freiburg.de
analysis, storage
OMERO
From the microscope to publication, OMERO handles all your images in a secure central repository. You can view, organize, analyze and share your data from anywhere you have internet access. Work with your images from a desktop app (Windows, Mac or Linux), from the web or from 3rd party software. Over 150 image file formats supported, including all major microscope formats.
Service Provider: UFR (QUAREP / I3DBio / CIBSS)
Contact: omero-helpdesk@sc.uni-freiburg.de
AI, analysis
HAWKI
HAWKI is an open-source web application developed at the HAWK (University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Hildesheim) that enables several chatbots to be connected via API and interacted with. In addition to ChatGPT from the company OpenAI, HAWKI can be used to select other “Large Language Models” (LLM), some of which are hosted here in the Computer Center of the University of Freiburg on our own hardware. HAWKI is available to all members of the Freiburg University with a valid university account.
Service Provider: Computer Center UFR
storage, collaboration
Store & Collaborate
Every stage of the Research Data Lifecycle centers around the management of data storage.
Proper storage maintenance throughout the lifecycle is imperative to ensure data remains secure and adheres to the university policies.
On the left you will find tools and resources to store your data and collaborate with other researchers:
Storage:
- Home Directory – File storage available for all UFR employees (20GB)
- Group Share – Shared drive for groups withing UFR
- bwSync&Share – State service for synchronising data between users and devices (Nextcloud)
- bwSFS – Storage for Science – available to members of the University of Freiburg
- Groupserver GROUPS – is a platform for asynchronous collaboration via the internet
Communication:
- Matrix Messenger – communication similar to e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram and Slack but secure and encrypted
- Big Blue Button – virtual meetings and/or classroom
storage
Home Directory
All employees and students of the University of Freiburg are automatically provided with a personal data directory (home directory) on the file server when they register their university account.
You can access your personal home directory worldwide, store your data and retrieve it from other computers. It can be used from Windows and Linux without any additional software.
The available storage space for students and university employees is 20 GB. In justified exceptional cases, the data storage can also be increased.
An automatic data backup (TSM Backup) is carried out regularly.
Service Provider: Computer Center UFR
Support: fileserver@rz.uni-freiburg.de
storage, collaboration
Group Share
Shared drive for windows and apple users within the UFR.
Service Provider: Computer Center UFR
Support: fileserver@rz.uni-freiburg.de
storage, collaboration
bwSync&Share
State service for synchronising data between different users and end devices.
Since January 2014, the state service bwSync&Share has been available to all students and employees of the universities in Baden-Württemberg. The state service bwSync&Share is an online storage service that makes it possible to exchange documents between different users and to synchronise stationary and mobile devices. Data can be accessed via a web browser using Sync&Share clients for the operating systems Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Apple iOS and Android, as well as across platforms. The service is operated by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).
If you want to use the service, please do as follows:
- Before you can use the service, you must register with your university account with the following address:
https://bwidm.scc.kit.edu/user/register-service.xhtml?ssn-sns - After registration, you can access the service at the following address:
https://bwsyncandshare.kit.edu
You can find further information about the service at the FAQs of KIT
Service Provider: KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)
Support: bwsyncandshare@rz.uni-freiburg.de
storage
bwSFS – Storage for Science
bwSFS is a storage system which can be used by members of the universities of Freiburg and Tübingen and the communities of the HPC clusters NEMO and BinAC.
bwSFS is funded by the DFG and the state of Baden-Württemberg. The DFG part is dedicated to the processing of data in ongoing research projects, while the state’s share is used to support long-term storage and provision. The cooperating universities are pursuing their strategic goal of providing the necessary infrastructure for long-term archiving and data publication as research-intensive and modern research institutions.
bwSFS can be used as a storage system in the participating institutions. Further services, which are offered on bwSFS are: InvenioRDM for publication, GitLab for versioning and OMERO for managing storage-hungry image data.
Service Provider: Computer Center UFR
Support: cdf@mail.uni-freiburg.de
collaboration, storage
Groupserver GROUPS
GROUPS (Basic Support for Collaborative Work) is a platform for asynchronous collaboration via the internet.
Texts, presentations, and other formats are stored on a central service, accessible via the internet. Everyone with internet access, a browser, and the proper access rights, can partake in the collective work.
The groupserver is available to members of the university. The groupserver supports collaboration in administration or within research projects through professional document management and efficient project management.
Sharing of documents and material through shared work spaces. Owners can self-administer and create these work spaces; Access regardless of time or place through internet; Password protected access of platform and content; Versioning functionality which allows recuperation of older versions.
Service Provider: UFR
Contact: groups@rz.uni-freiburg.de
collaboration, communication
Matrix Messenger
The Matrix Messenger enables efficient communication similar to e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram and Slack, but with data protection-compliant encryption and own hosting infrastructure through the University of Freiburg’s data centre. With functions such as direct messages, group chats, fast file sending as well as audio and video telephony, Matrix facilitates cooperation and the exchange of information in the student body, in courses, learning groups or research projects.
Matrix is the name of the open communication protocol. As a web, desktop or mobile application comes Element for use. The messenger enables federated communication with both the university and across institutions with matrix users from other scientific institutions, e.g. for project work.
The registration for matrix is simply done via the Uni account. This makes Matrix a comprehensive solution that covers the need for safe and efficient real-time communication among students and makes circumvention solutions in facilities and institutes unnecessary.
Service Provider: UFR
Contact Support: matrix-support.rz.uni-freiburg.de
collaboration, training
Big Blue Button (BBB)
Share documents. Upload your PowerPoint presentation (as a PDF), other PDF files, or links to external video files to the online meeting room and share and discuss them with other participants.
Screen sharing. Show others your entire screen content, a section, or a specific program/window on your computer.
Collaborate. Collaborative tools such as the whiteboard allow you to work on content simultaneously – both in plenary sessions and in virtual workgroups (breakout groups).
Mobile meeting participation. Users can also participate in meetings on the move via a browser on a tablet or smartphone.
Integration into ILIAS. Meeting rooms can also be integrated into any courses and groups and managed via the learning platform.
Service Provider: UFR
Contact: onlinemeetings@rz.uni-freiburg.de
publication, archiving
Publish & Share
Data sharing is essential for expedited translation of research results into scientific knowledge.
Data publishing or data sharing refers to the act of making your research data available to other researchers when you complete a study. This is increasingly becoming a requirement from journals and funders. This stage also involves ensuring that the data is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR).
The recommended practice is to deposit data in community and domain specific repositories, however the University of Freiburg also offers general-purpose data sharing and publishing services.
On the left you will find tools and resources to help you make your data available to others:
- FreiDATA – publication platform of the University of Freiburg for research data and digital objects
- FreiDOK Plus – publication platform, university bibliography and research documentation system
storage, archiving
FreiData
FreiData is the publication platform of the University of Freiburg for research data and other digital objects from research. FreiData can be used by all members and affiliates of the university with an account .
With FreiData, members of the university have a platform to publish data and research results. FreiData is an offer of the University of Freiburg to open up the research process in the sense of Open-Science. It is complementary to specialized services or repositories, for example the NFDI, to enable researchers of the university to have worldwide visibility of their data.
High-throughput network connections make FreiData available even for data-intensive applications within the university. For long-term planning, the considerations of the working paper “Long-term archiving of data from research projects”2 can be referred to.
FreiData can be integrated into data strategies. In data management plans (DMP) it can be specified as a station of the life cycle of research data. Upon request by mail to rdm@mail.uni-freiburg.de , formulation aids for DMPs to be submitted with third-party funding applications will be provided.
FreiDATA DOI Service
For all objects stored on FreiData, a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) can be requested. Digital objects are uniquely referenced worldwide via a DOI. Objects on FreiData thus become citable in principle.
Service Provider: UFR
Support: cdf@mail.uni-freiburg.de
publication, archiving, storage
FreiDok Plus
FreiDok Plus is the institutional repository of the University of Freiburg. FreiDok Plus acts as a publication platform, university bibliography and research documentation system.
The central goals of FreiDok Plus, based on the Open Science Policy of the University of Freiburg, are to increase the visibility of the results of research in Freiburg, to simplify access to publications and (research) data in the sense of Open Science and to ensure the long-term availability of archived information.
Service Provider: University Library UFR
Support: freidok@ub.uni-freiburg.de
publication
Funding Open Access Articles
You can apply for funding for your open access publication from the university’s publication fund in just a few steps.
Service Provider: University Library UFR
Support: openaccess@ub.uni-freiburg.de
training
Training & Education
Education is the foundation of the research lifecycle. Whether it is teaching future researchers, or training late-career researchers in the scientific techniques.
The University of Freiburg offers tools and resources to educators and researchers.
On the left you will find tools and resources to support you in your education activities:
- ILIAS Learning Management System – for digital learning and teaching at the university of Freiburg
- Galaxy Training Network – community-curated collection of reusable data science tutorials
- Big Blue Button – Virtual Classroom and meeting software with ILIAS integration
education, collaboration, storage
ILIAS Learning Management System
ILIAS provides the basis for digital learning and teaching at the university of Freiburg.
Course management, learning modules, tests and assessments, portfolios, surveys, wikis and blogs are at the tip of your fingers with ILIAS, making it the ideal all-in-one e-learning solution.
Use on desktop or mobile devices. Use it as a simple course player, as a complex authoring tool, as a full-fledged collaboration platform – or as any combination that suits your needs!
Service Provider: Computer Center UFR
Support: ilias@rz.uni-freiburg.de
collaboration, training
Virtual Classroom Big Blue Button (BBB)
Audio / video communication and chat. Communicate in real time via your headset, webcam, and text chat.
Share documents. Upload your PowerPoint presentation (as a PDF), other PDF files, or links to external video files to the online meeting room and share and discuss them with other participants.
Screen sharing. Show others your entire screen content, a section, or a specific program/window on your computer.
Collaborate. Collaborative tools such as the whiteboard allow you to work on content simultaneously – both in plenary sessions and in virtual workgroups (breakout groups).
Mobile meeting participation. Users can also participate in meetings on the move via a browser on a tablet or smartphone.
Integration into ILIAS. Meeting rooms can also be integrated into any courses and groups and managed via the learning platform.
Service Provider: UFR
Contact: onlinemeetings@rz.uni-freiburg.de
training
Galaxy Traning Network (GTN)
Set of 450+ tutorials guiding learners through scientific analyses step by step.
The tutorials use Galaxy as their primary analysis platform but also include general data science skills training.
The GTN is a collaborative effort with over 400 researchers worldwide contributing to the tutorials.
All tutorials are suitable for self-study or re-use by educators in a classroom setting.
Service Provider: Global GTN Community, UFR Galaxy group
Support: GTN Matrix channel,
training
Digital Humanities Certificate
The certificate Digital Humanities is an offer at the Philological Faculty of the Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, which is aimed at the Bachelor, Master and PhD students of the Faculty of Philology.
As part of this certificate, the participants acquire knowledge about digital research methods and research questions in the humanities. The main topics include applied statistics for the humanities, data visualization, artificial intelligence and other areas.
The certificate bundles the courses offered at the Faculty of Philology in the field of Digital Humanities and thus enables occupancy and recognition of the courses for the certificate, which are not offered within the respective courses of study.
For information about requirements, registration, module descriptions and reference, please visit the certificate and FAQ.
Service Provider: UFR Digital Humanities Lab
Support: digitalhumanities@mail.uni-freiburg.de
University Policies & Guidelines
Policies
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Research Data Management Policy
The University of Freiburg recognizes the fundamental importance of research data, its creation and processing context, as well as its documentation and publication, for maintaining high-quality research and scientific integrity.
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Open Science Policy
The University of Freiburg recognizes open science as a key element of its own scientific culture and commits to driving the necessary cultural shift.
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Policy on the Use of Generative AI in Research
With this policy, the University of Freiburg would like to raise awareness for the conscious use of generative AI in the research context and provide recommendations on how to use the corresponding tools. The Central Data Facility supports all researchers of the University of Freiburg with the implementation of university policies.
Guidelines
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Guidelines on secure data storage and encryption of mobile data storage devices
Reducing the risk of data leakage and data loss in the event of loss, transfer and disposal of mobile work devices such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, USB sticks, etc.
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Code of Conduct “Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice”
The German Research Foundation (DFG) has formulated 19 guidelines for safeguarding good research practice in its Code of Conduct. These guidelines provide a frame of reference for researchers, university management and management of research institutions outside universities.
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Research Data / Open Data
The responsible handling of (digital) data created as a precondition, product or result of the research process is an essential component of good research practice.