SPK contributes to the National Research Data Infrastructure: Approval of NFDI4Culture
Press release from 06/30/2020
SPK participates in the NFDI4Culture consortium for research data on tangible and intangible cultural assets - funding approved for the next few years
A few days ago, the Joint Science Conference (GWK) of the federal and state governments decided to fund the NFDI4Culture consortium, in which the SPK is actively involved as one of the supporting organisations. NFDI4Culture is one of initially nine consortia that are to set up the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI). This will systematically and sustainably secure scientific and research data, which is currently often stored in a decentralised and project-based manner, and make it reusable.
Within the NFDI, NFDI4Culture will establish a demand-orientated infrastructure for digital research data on tangible and intangible cultural assets. This data includes 2D digital copies of paintings, photographs and drawings as well as digital 3D models of culturally significant buildings and monuments or audiovisual data from music, film and stage performances.
The concept and structure of the consortium were developed over two years in close co-operation between 11 specialist societies, 9 supporting institutions and 52 partners; the Academy of Sciences and Literature Mainz is in charge. Within the consortium, the SPK will in particular support the work of the specialist disciplines in the production and enrichment of all types of digitised material (2D, 3D, but also audio and video) and organise the nationwide coordination between digitisation centres.
Hermann Parzinger, President of the SPK, explains: "With its participation in NFDI4Culture, the SPK is actively shaping the development of infrastructures for science and research in the field of cultural studies and the humanities. With its thematic breadth and the diversity of its research activities, it is once again proving to be an ideal partner for networking the disciplines. We look forward to working in this important national initiative!"
Reinhard Altenhöner, SPK representative in the NFDI4Culture consortium and one of the foundation's two Chief Digital Officers, adds: "The consortium thrives on close collaboration with the specialist societies and the academics they represent and their research. In this constellation, we will work together with our partners in the coming years to tailor existing and future digital services and tools to the requirements of science and research, to network results and to open them up to new contexts of use and research. And finally, we want to make these results reliably available to future generations of researchers as part of the NFDI."