Join the events of RItrainPlus Community of Practice

Are you a manager or operator of a research infrastructure or core facility? Do you often find yourself facing specific operational and managerial challenges in your work? Look no further than the RItrainPlus Community of Practice!

Our online community offers a platform for you to connect with other professionals in the field, share your experiences, and find solutions to the challenges you face. With open discussions, targeted workshops, and online meetings featuring presentations from experts, we provide a wealth of information and strategies to better support managers and operators of RIs and CFs.

Our goals are to help you explore and share best practices, address diverse needs, and develop policies and implementation methods that are aligned with current standards. Whether you are looking for guidance on gender equality, the implementation of GDPR, or other strategic issues, we are here to help.View the recordings and other materials of the past meetings by joining the RItrainPlus CoP. The group is open to anyone working in an RI or CF.

Join our private Facebook group today and become a part of the RItrainPlus Community of Practice. 
Let’s work together to make our work as a manager or operator of RIs and CFs more efficient, effective, and rewarding.

Upcoming Events:
Building Impactful Communities: Strategies for Effective Collaboration and Sustainable Growth

Building Impactful Communities: Strategies for Effective Collaboration and Sustainable Growth

CTLS association with the support of the leaders of their working groups and hfp consulting, developed an interactive workshop to equip the core facility members and stakeholders with the practical tools to strengthen their community networks.  The focus of this 1,5-day workshop will be on strategies to enhance collaboration, foster engagement, and sustain long-term motivation within the community of core facilities. Participants will acquire valuable skills that will empower them to drive projects, improve working group dynamics and advance their own professional development.  By the end of this workshop, participants will: – Practice effective tools for leading and contributing to working groups,…

Next CoP online meeting: Technical Tools to improve the efficiency of RIs staff

Next CoP online meeting: Technical Tools to improve the efficiency of RIs staff

We are excited to invite you to the 11th online meeting of the RItrainPlus Community of Practice. This session is dedicated to Research infrastructures staff.   Date & Time: Friday 15 November 2024 Time: 12:00 – 13:30 CET  Session Overview: In the rapidly evolving world of research, efficiency is no longer optional—it’s essential. Several RIs staff face the challenge to carry out multiple tasks in coordination with other colleagues who are normally based in other countries, in case of distributed RIs. This meeting will gather these concerns and special needs of RIs staff.  After the introduction, a highly practical session will introduce attendants to a…


Blog posts of previous events:
Building Impactful Communities: Strategies for Effective Collaboration and Sustainable Growth

Building Impactful Communities: Strategies for Effective Collaboration and Sustainable Growth

CTLS association with the support of the leaders of their working groups and hfp consulting, developed an interactive workshop to equip the core facility members and stakeholders with the practical tools to strengthen their community networks.  The focus of this 1,5-day workshop will be on strategies to enhance collaboration, foster engagement, and sustain long-term motivation within the community of core facilities. Participants will acquire valuable skills that will empower them to drive projects, improve working group dynamics and advance their own professional development.  By the end of this workshop, participants will: – Practice effective tools for leading and contributing to…

Next CoP online meeting: From Policy to Practice: Empowering Open Science at European Universities

Next CoP online meeting: From Policy to Practice: Empowering Open Science at European Universities

We are excited to invite you to the 10th online meeting of the RItrainPlus Community of Practice. This session is dedicated to Empowering Open Science at European Universities.   Date & Time: 13 September 2024, 12:00 – 13:30 CET Session Overview: A growing number of European universities are embracing Open Science principles to publish the knowledge they generated. To do this, universities are deploying new infrastructures, generating education material for researchers and defining policies, among other actions. In this webinar, our speakers will show some of the actions carried out in European universities, represented by two alliances: EELISA and Unite!. Also, we will discover significant achievements these…

Workshop: upskilling and training users in science and research, 24-25 Sept Upskilling-researchers

Workshop: upskilling and training users in science and research, 24-25 Sept

Dates: 24 – 25 September Location: Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain Application: until Friday 28 June 2024. Selections on a first-come first-served basis Costs: registration is free, travel and accommodation not included Further information and registration: https://www.eventsforce.net/embl/150/home The workshop is jointly organised by RItrainPlus and BioExcel and aims to bring together experts, trainers and other staff involved in training, building capacity and upskilling users of core facilities (CFs), research infrastructures (RIs) or scientific software. The aims are to exchange experiences, define best practices in upskilling users and communities and learn about new pedagogical ideas and tools. There are a limited number…

Next CoP online meeting: Best Practices for Developing Key Performance Indicators for an RI Ninth-Meeting-cop

Next CoP online meeting: Best Practices for Developing Key Performance Indicators for an RI

We are excited to invite you to the 9th online meeting of the RItrainPlus Community of Practice. This session is dedicated to Best Practices in developing Key Performance Indicators for your Research Infrastructure. Date & Time: 10 May 2024, 12:00 – 13:30 CET Session Overview: Are you developing Key Performance Indicators for your Research Infrastructure? Would you like to hear about some best practices that might come in handy at the very beginning of the planning process? Come join us in the Community of Practice meeting, titled “Best practices for Developing Key Performance Indicators for an RI“, May 10th, 12:00 CET. A…

Incorporating Equity, diversity and inclusion practices into Research

Incorporating Equity, diversity and inclusion practices into Research

Author: Piraveen (Piv) Gopalasingam, Daniel Thomas López On 16 February 2024 the RItrainPlus Community of Practice convened for a presentation and discussion on Equity, diversity, inclusion (EDI) and accessibility in the research sector. The meeting started with Piraveen (Piv) Gopalasingam from the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) defining EDI and accessibility. The difference between equality and equality was clarified, with the latter focusing on fair treatment as well as equal access to opportunities and resources. Equity is a process that recognizes the existence of advantages for some and barriers for others. Terms such as exclusion, segregation and integration were used to…

Next CoP online meeting: Incorporating Equity, diversity and inclusion practices into Research

Next CoP online meeting: Incorporating Equity, diversity and inclusion practices into Research

We are excited to invite you to the 8th online meeting of the RItrainPlus Community of Practice. This session is dedicated to incorporating equity, diversity and inclusion practices into research projects.  Date & Time: 16 February 2024, 12:00 – 13:30 CET Session Overview: Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) practice has gained traction across the research sector. Many research funders require implementation and reporting of EDI practice as part of projects, and research institutions tend to have EDI strategies in place. However, as important as EDI is to ensuring good research, personnel may experience barriers to properly achieve EDI goals. Barriers are…

Exploring the Frontiers of Experimental Research Infrastructures: Key Takeaways from the Seventh RItrainPlus CoP Meeting embl_SE_blog_post

Exploring the Frontiers of Experimental Research Infrastructures: Key Takeaways from the Seventh RItrainPlus CoP Meeting

Author: Maja Dolinar (Slovenian Social Science Data Archives (ADP)) The seventh meeting of the RItrainPlus Community of Practice, held on 1 December, was nothing short of a deep dive into the fascinating world of Experimental Research Infrastructures (RIs). Our esteemed guest, Sebastien Dupraz from ECCSEL, led an enlightening session that peeled back the layers of complexity surrounding these vital research platforms. Unravelling the Essence of Research Infrastructures We kicked off the session by framing RIs within the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) definition. It was intriguing to learn how these infrastructures are not just about the tools and technologies…

Next CoP online meeting: Accesses in Experimental RI

Next CoP online meeting: Accesses in Experimental RI

We are excited to invite you to the 7th online meeting of the RItrainPlus Community of Practice. This session is dedicated to enhancing our understanding and management of experimental platforms within our network. Date & Time: 1 December 2023, 12:00 – 13:30 CET Session Overview: Our focus will be on the unique administrative and technical aspects specific to experimental platforms, addressing the nuances of transnational and national access. Key points of discussion will include policy, contracts, data management, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The meeting will unfold in three distinct segments: Specificities of Experimental Research Infrastructures (RIs): An in-depth look into what sets…

CoP Workshop: Turning diversity into an asset in your research environment

CoP Workshop: Turning diversity into an asset in your research environment

Authors:  Valentina Adami (University of Trento, Italy and Core Technologies for Life Science – CTLS), Lola Martinez (CNIO – Madrid, Spain and Core Technologies for Life Science – CTLS), Julia Fernandez-Rodriguez (University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and Core Technologies for Life Science – CTLS) In our daily life, we work and interact with people coming from different backgrounds, cultures, disciplines, gender, personalities. It is enriching but can be challenging at times as cultural differences may lead to misunderstandings that could escalate and hinder our productivity and wellbeing in a work environment. How can we best address these situations? What are the…

Unravelling the Complexities of EOSC: Insights from the RItrainPlus CoP meeting

Unravelling the Complexities of EOSC: Insights from the RItrainPlus CoP meeting

Authors: Maja Dolinar (Slovenian Social Science Data Archives (ADP)), Ana Inkret (Slovenian Social Science Data Archives (ADP)) On May 12, 2023 the RItrainPlus Community of Practice convened for a discussion surrounding the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) Portal and Marketplace. The central issue addressed during this meeting was the challenge of articulating the purpose, functionalities, and benefits of the EOSC to those unfamiliar with the platform. The Challenge of EOSC Comprehension The event started with an introduction by Milica Ševkušić from the EOSC Future project, OpenAire/EIFL, who introduced us to the EOSC Portal and its onboarding process. The main problem identified…

EOSC Future at the next RItrainPlus CoP Meeting: EOSC Portal and Marketplace

EOSC Future at the next RItrainPlus CoP Meeting: EOSC Portal and Marketplace

EOSC Future project invites research infrastructure and core facilities managers to discuss EOSC Portal and Marketplace engagements strategies: preparing research products and services for onboarding, onboarding workflows, planning strategies on the Nodes/national and institutional levels and Knowledge Hub training resources.   We hope you can join us for this informative and engaging meeting on 12 May 2023 from 12:00 to 13:30 CEST. Speakers: Jessica M. Lindvall, Head of Training NBIS/ELIXIR-SE, SciLifeLab Training Hub, Deputy Head of Node, ELIXIR-SE Sy Holsinger, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), OPERAS AISBL Pedro Príncipe and André Vieira, members of OpenAIRE’s Services and Technologies Steering Committee, OpenAIRE/UMINHO on the Knowledge Hub If…

Unlocking the Potential of Research Infrastructures for Successful Collaboration with Industry: Identifying the Right People and Attracting them

Unlocking the Potential of Research Infrastructures for Successful Collaboration with Industry: Identifying the Right People and Attracting them

Are you interested in learning how research infrastructure and industry can work together to drive innovation and solve real-world problems? Then look no further than the recent RItrainPlus Community of Practice meeting that was held on March 31, 2023. The meeting brought together experts in research infrastructure and industry to share and discuss the challenges and opportunities of collaboration between the two sectors.The lively discussion provided a glimpse into the future of research and innovation, and we can’t wait to share the highlights with you!…

Best practices to turn diversity into an asset for your research environment

Best practices to turn diversity into an asset for your research environment

Date/Time of the event: June 26th, 2023 – 9am to 5pm Location: Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland In our research at core facilities, we work and interact with people coming from different backgrounds, cultures, disciplines, gender, personalities. It is enriching and can be challenging at times. Especially when diversity leads to misunderstandings that escalate and hinder our productivity and wellbeing. How can we best address these situations? What are the skills needed to master these challenges? Are there strategies to turn diversity into an asset for our collaborations? With this workshop, we will offer a safe and stimulating environment for sharing…

Next CoP Meeting: Unlocking the Potential of Research Infrastructures for Successful Collaboration with Industry: Identifying the Right People and Attracting them

Next CoP Meeting: Unlocking the Potential of Research Infrastructures for Successful Collaboration with Industry: Identifying the Right People and Attracting them

The Community of Practice meeting series continues on 31 March with an interesting panel about how to find a perfect match between people and challenges to convert the scientific potential of research infrastructure into value for industry. The meeting will explore the growing collaboration between academia and industry and the importance of managing these interactions effectively. In recent years, collaboration between academia and industry has become increasingly common due to the recognition, by the latter, of the value of external sources of knowledge and expertise. Research Infrastructures and Core Facilities play a crucial role in facilitating these collaborations, and…

How to prepare for a review meeting: Tips and tricks

How to prepare for a review meeting: Tips and tricks

CoP Meeting 13 January 2023 Author: Maja Dolinar (Slovenian Social Science Data Archives (ADP)), Irena Vipavc Brvar (Slovenian Social Science Data Archives (ADP)) The RItrainPlus Community of Practice meeting held on January 13th was a great success, with participants learning valuable tips and tricks to help them prepare for their next review meeting. With presentations from experts in the field, Martina Drascic Capar from the Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives (CESSDA), Vasso Kalaitzi from Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS), and Marieke Willems from ELIXIR Hub, the webinar covered a wide range of topics, including the timeline, relevant…

Data, Privacy and Research

Data, Privacy and Research

CoP Meeting 11 November 2022 Author: Maja Dolinar (Slovenian Social Science Data Archives (ADP)), Irena Vipavc Brvar (Slovenian Social Science Data Archives (ADP)), Francesco Vigna (UNIBO) On November 11th, 2022, the RITrainPlus Community of Practice held a meeting centred around the topic of data compliance in research, specifically tailored for RI- and CF-managers. The meeting consisted of three 20-minute presentations from experts in the field, each focusing on a different aspect of data compliance. The first presentation, given by Dr. Francesco Vigna, explored the challenges data managers face when reusing personal health data for research purposes. Dr. Vigna highlighted the trade-off…

Socio-economic impact OF RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES: Things to consider Webinar_2_CoverPhoto

Socio-economic impact OF RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES: Things to consider

CoP Webinar 9 September 2022 Socio-economic impact OF RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES: Things to consider Author: Evi-Carita Riikonen, ICOS ERIC Assessing the socio-economic impact (SEI) of European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs) is being increasingly discussed as more ERICs are being established and the existing ones are developing. It is especially interesting for the funders and other stakeholders, but also for the general public who benefit from the work ERICs and other types of RIs do. However, assessing the SEI of ERICs is not so straightforward. A RItrainPlus Community of Practice webinar was delivered on 9th September 2022 to cover some key ideas about…

Strengthening Managerial Capacities in Data Policy Management and Team Building

Strengthening Managerial Capacities in Data Policy Management and Team Building

CoP Workshop, 17. June 2022 Authors: Irena Vipavc Brvar and Maja Dolinar (Slovenian Social Science Data Archives – ADP)), Brian Kleiner (Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences (FORS)), Francesco Giovanni Paoletti (University of Milano-Bicocca) The first Community of Practice workshop was delivered at the International Conference of the International Association for Social Science Information Service and Technology (IASSIST) in June 2022, hosted in the city of Gothenburg, Sweden. The workshop on “Strengthening Managerial Capacities in Data Policy Management and Team Building” addressed two crucial aspects of effective leadership in research infrastructures (RIs) and core facilities (CFs): data policy and…

Starting a New Post in a Research Infrastructure

Starting a New Post in a Research Infrastructure

CoP Meeting 13 May 2022 Author: Maja Dolinar and Irena Vipavc Brvar (Slovenian Social Science Data Archives (ADP)) The first RItrainPlus Community of Practice (CoP) meeting that was held on May 13, 2022, brought together some of the most respected individuals in the research infrastructure landscape. We were joined by Ms Meredith Goins, who is the Executive Director of the World Data System – IPO, Dr Bonnie Wolff-Boenisch, who is the Director of the Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives (CESSDA ERIC), Dr Darja Fišer, who is going to be the future Director of Common Language Resources and Technology…