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Dialogue Format “Mapping Information Infrastructures” – The Question of “WHAT”

Welcome to our preliminary survey! We’re delighted that you’re taking part!

Duration: approx. 8 minutes

Deadline: 9. September

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) is planning a two-day workshop on “Mapping Information Infrastructures” for the first quarter of 2027. The event forms part of the strategic dialogue process on the DFG discussion paper “Digital Research Practice and Cooperative Information Infrastructures” (2025) and is being organised under the auspices of the Committee on Scientific Library Services and Information Systems (AWBI). By carrying out this preliminary survey, the DFG Head Office would like to find out what the focus of such a mapping should be, in other words which services and structures should be mapped in order to meet the needs of research as closely as possible. It is aimed primarily at researchers, but also at operators of information infrastructures.

 

What are the objectives of mapping information infrastructures?

By “mapping”, we mean creating a structured, dynamically designed overview of scientific information infrastructures that is guided by the needs of researchers, including services, tools, portals, platforms, development environments, repositories, support services and workflows used by researchers in digital research practice. Such a mapping exercise can help users identify suitable resources for specific stages of their work while also creating transparency regarding existing infrastructures, responsibilities, opportunities for cooperation and gaps.

 

Why this preliminary survey?

The need for a research-informed mapping of information infrastructures is emphasised in both the DFG discussion paper and the paper on the future of scientific information infrastructures in Germany published by the German Council for Scientific Information Infrastructures (RfII) entitled Leistung in Verantwortung. Zur Zukunft der wissenschaftlichen Informationsinfrastrukturen in Deutschland (2025). This is confirmed by feedback from the communities, yet it remains unclear what the focus of such a mapping exercise should be in order to meet needs as closely as possible.

The proposals put forward by the communities range from an overview of nationally relevant information infrastructures and compilations by service type (e.g. tools, portals, terminologies/ontologies and repositories) through to domain-specific or discipline-specific mapping exercises.

We are conducting this preliminary survey in order to gain a better understanding of what content would be most useful to you in practice.

 

What should be discussed at the workshop?

Aimed especially at users but also at operators of information infrastructures, the workshop will provide the opportunity to discuss the following topics:

1. Requirements and prerequisites for the development and (long-term) operation of a mapping of information infrastructures (e.g. currency, responsibilities and quality assurance).

2. Suitable criteria according to which information infrastructures can be selected and described for inclusion in a mapping exercise.

3. Options for initiating a community-led implementation of mapping initiatives (e.g. cooperation models, pilot areas and partial mapping exercises).

Note: The workshop will not focus on the specific technical implementation but rather on the needs, criteria and prerequisites for a mapping exercise, and on whether and how communities might support such initiatives in the longer term.

 

In order to ensure that the workshop programme reflects actual needs, we would like to use this survey to identify what you believe should be given priority in the mapping exercise.

Privacy policy

Data Protection Notice of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft e.V.

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft e.V. (hereinafter “DFG”) is the data controller responsible for this data processing within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The individual survey authors are responsible for publishing and conducting the surveys. Participation in the survey is voluntary and anonymous at all times. In accordance with the information obligations to which the data controller is subject, we ask you to take note of the following:

The controller for the processing of your personal data is:

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft e.V.

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Tel. +49 228 885-1

postmaster@dfg.de

You can contact our data protection officer as follows:

Attorney-at-law Dr. Philip Lüghausen

BHO Consulting GmbH

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This data is processed for the following purpose(s):

Survey to gather information and opinions on the future direction and design of DFG event formats in the field of research funding.

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Getting in touch with us and exercising your rights:

Should you have any queries concerning the processing of your personal data, your rights as a data subject and any consent which you have given, you can get in touch with us free of charge. In order to exercise any of the rights listed above, please contact us at dialogprozess.infrastruktur@dfg.de or write to us at the postal address shown above. Please ensure that we are able to clearly identify you. To withdraw your consent, you can also use the contact channel which you selected when giving consent.

For further information on data processing by the DFG, see https://www.dfg.de/en/service/privacy-policy

Last revised: 06 July 2026

 

 
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