Through this partnership, CEDIA will coordinate RDA's efforts.
The Research Data Alliance – RDA and the Ecuadorian Corporation for the Development of Research and Academia – CEDIA, signed an agreement to form a regional association, intended to further represent the practices and interests of the Ecuadorian research community and at the same time facilitate the regional adoption of RDA standards and practices, through the organization and implementation of various initiatives and activities.
Regions become RDAs by negotiating a formal partnership agreement. An RDA Region is defined as a “national-level” geographic entity or a consortium of “national-level entities.” Regional partnerships are fundamental to RDA, providing the essential connection to the regional community, helping us understand and support the needs of local data professionals, and ensuring greater multilingualism across the global community.
Through this partnership, CEDIA will coordinate RDA efforts and awareness-raising in Ecuador, and specifically:
- Promote events and training on best practices in research data management and open science for Ecuador.
- Promote the local adoption of RDA recommendations in Ecuador.
- Promote the participation of Ecuadorian researchers in RDA working groups.
- Participate in training activities promoted by RDA and the integration of RDA communities.
- Promote training in research data management, strategic data management plan, and open science for researchers in Ecuador.
- Promote the use of CEDIA 's platforms and tools that aim to contribute to the open science ecosystem for research, such as RRAAE and REDI.
For CEDIA, this new regional partnership with RDA provides the Ecuadorian research and education network with the opportunity to further support its international presence and foster, promote, and coordinate the development of scientific research.
Furthermore, by acting as a Research Data Alliance Node of Ecuador (RDA-EC), the specific objectives to be achieved are:
- To generate interest among researchers about the need for and importance of proper data management and governance in research.
- Promote the dissemination of RDA events in Ecuador, especially those aimed at researchers.
- Participation in RDA training workshops held in their programs and events.
- Promote training in research data management, open data and open science for researchers.
- To create spaces for innovation through forums where researchers can discuss and exchange information about their research projects.
For her part, Hilary Hanahoe, Secretary General of the Research Data Alliance, stated that “this historic agreement is another step on the path to achieving a truly inclusive and global RDA community. CEDIA will be fundamental in raising awareness about RDA in Ecuador, but also in highlighting Ecuadorian excellence in research. I am very excited about this partnership regarding data management and open science through the RDA network.”.
To learn more about the Node, those interested can join the RDA community forum in Ecuador: https://www.rd-alliance.org/groups/rda-ecuador. This forum will be used to share information about RDA – Ecuador's activities, events, and updates.
