The ARP team, based on the results of the 2022 needs assessment and the experiences of the first two years of the Data Repository Platform, proposed the establishment of a Data Steward Network within the institutions of the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network. Following the approval of the proposal and the development of the concept, a new position was introduced in 18 research institutions starting from October 1, 2024, with each institution appointing a staff member responsible for data stewardship tasks. As a result, data stewardship professionals have been introduced and made available in all research centers and institutes across all major scientific fields to support HUN-REN researchers.
During the first year of the institutional data stewards (October 2024 – October 2025), the main focus is on acquiring the necessary knowledge, familiarizing themselves with the researchers working in their respective institutions, mapping ongoing research projects, and developing an institutional research data management policy. To achieve these goals, the ARP project and the HUN-REN Center jointly organized a data stewardship training and mentoring program that provides the necessary foundation and support. The first, intensive, and condensed phase of the training concluded in December 2024, after which data stewards took an exam in early 2025 to demonstrate their acquired knowledge. Over the next eight months, the training continues with a second, more specialized phase based on individual mentoring.
The goal of the first phase of the training was to acquire fundamental knowledge related to modern research data management, become familiar with key practical opportunities, outline the practical and theoretical knowledge necessary for data stewardship tasks, and facilitate networking among data stewards working in different scientific fields. It also aimed to prepare them for individual, institutional, and collaborative network-wide work. The training consisted of interrelated theoretical and practical sessions conducted interactively, primarily in person, but with the possibility of online participation. All data stewards actively participated in each session, followed the lessons, completed in-class and practical exercises, submitted monthly reports, and successfully passed the final exam of the foundational training.
The intensive foundational training, led by ARP experts and invited lecturers, was conducted according to the following schedule and covered the following topics:
Kick-off session, introductions – speakers: Noémi Harnos (HUN-REN Center), Henrietta Farkas (HUN-REN Center), Enikő Meiszterics (HUN-REN TK KDK), Júlia Egyed-Gergely (HUN-REN TK KDK), Anna Horváth (HUN-REN TK KDK)
Open science, FAIR data management – speakers: Ákos Lencsés (KIFÜ), Ildikó Kelemen (KIFÜ), Csilla Gödri (KIFÜ)
Research data, repositories – speakers: Anna Horváth (HUN-REN TK KDK), Júlia Egyed-Gergely (HUN-REN TK KDK), Henrietta Farkas (HUN-REN Center)
Legal aspects, data management regulations – speakers: Márk Arató (Havas-Sághy és társai Law Firm), András György (HUN-REN Legal Department), András László Németh (HUN-REN Legal Department)
Thesauri, ontologies, dictionaries, persistent identifiers, research data management plan theory – speakers: András Holl (MTA KIK), Ádám Száldobágyi (DEENK)
Metadata, research data management plan practice (templates and tools) – speakers: Enikő Meiszterics (HUN-REN TK KDK), Henrietta Farkas (HUN-REN Center)
Preparing research data for deposition, research data deposition – speakers: Henrietta Farkas (HUN-REN Center), Enikő Meiszterics (HUN-REN TK KDK), Júlia Egyed-Gergely (HUN-REN TK KDK), Anna Horváth (HUN-REN TK KDK)
ARP structure - technical background and practical application – speakers: Zoltán Tóth (HUN-REN SZTAKI), Anna Horváth (HUN-REN TK KDK)
ARP structure - ARP Data Repository – speakers: Enikő Meiszterics (HUN-REN TK KDK)
ARP structure - ARP AROMA and ARP Schema Register – speakers: Zoltán Tóth (HUN-REN SZTAKI), Júlia Egyed-Gergely (HUN-REN TK KDK)
Major projects and their expectations, organizations related to data stewardship and open science, research software, anonymization – speakers: Judit Fazekas-Parragh (DEENK), Ádám Száldobágyi (DEENK)
Artificial intelligence in research and research support - Generative AI – speakers: Miklós Sebők (HUN-REN PTI), Rebeka Kiss (HUN-REN TK PTI)
Introduction to the Python programming language – speakers: Andrea Dömötör (ELTE BTK DH LAB)
ARP official opening event
Closing session – speakers: Henrietta Farkas (HUN-REN Center), Júlia Egyed-Gergely (HUN-REN TK KDK), Anna Horváth (HUN-REN TK KDK), Enikő Meiszterics (HUN-REN TK KDK)
Institutional Data Stewards in HUN-REN:
Balázs Richárd Fiáth – HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences
Zoltán Hegedűs – HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged
Mátyás Hencz – HUN-REN Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science
András Hubai – HUN-REN Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematics
Bence Juhász – HUN-REN Institute for Computer Science and Control
Győző Kaján – HUN-REN Veterinary Medical Research Institute
Levente Kontra – HUN-REN Institute of Experimental Medicine
Attila Krakó – HUN-REN Institute for Nuclear Research
Krisztina Krassován – HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute
György Kriza – HUN-REN Wigner Research Centre for Physics
Enikő Meiszterics – HUN-REN Centre for Social Sciences
Péter Ott – HUN-REN Centre for Agricultural Research
Szilárd Sajti – HUN-REN Wigner Research Centre for Physics
Ádám Sódor – HUN-REN Konkoly Thege Miklós Research Centre For Astronomy and Earth Sciences
Bálint Szabó – HUN-REN Research Centre for the Humanities
Ditta Szabó – HUN-REN Research Institute for Linguistics
Endre Szabó – HUN-REN Centre for Economic and Regional Studies
Anna Tímár – HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research
János Tibor Varga – HUN-REN Centre for Energy Research
Photo by Zoltán Tóth (HUN-REN SZTAKI)