Today, DANS manages more than 320,000 datasets and ranks among the leading research data repositories in Europe. What began with a focus on the humanities and social sciences has evolved into a broad infrastructure serving a wide range of scientific domains.
From EASY to domain-specific Data Stations
The digital research landscape has undergone significant changes in recent years. In response, DANS transitioned from a general-purpose system (EASY) to four domain-specific Data Stations:
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Data Station Archaeology
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Data Station Social Sciences & Humanities
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Data Station Life Sciences
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Data Station Physical & Technical Sciences
This innovation supports researchers with improved metadata, domain-specific functionality, and enhanced data usability. The integration of EASY and the discontinuation of NARCIS marked a shift towards a more sustainable and specialised infrastructure.
Knowledge partner in national and international projects
In twenty years, DANS has become a valued partner in policy development and infrastructure innovation projects, both nationally and across Europe. In recent years, DANS has actively contributed to projects such as:
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FAIR-IMPACT – practical implementation of the FAIR principles in collaboration with European partners
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FAIRCORE4EOSC – development of core components for the European Open Science Cloud
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PATTERN – support for research institutions in improving their data management policies
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RDNL (Research Data Netherlands) – collaboration on training, infrastructure, and policy for data stewardship
These projects contribute to the professionalisation of data management, the strengthening of interoperability, and the increased impact of FAIR data.
Looking ahead: a sustainable data infrastructure for Open Science
Open Science and FAIR data remain high on the agenda for researchers, institutions, and policymakers. DANS continues to work with national and international partners on the further development of an infrastructure that supports both generic and domain-specific needs.
In the coming years, the focus will be on:
- Data quality and reusability from the start of the research cycle.
- Integration of tools and workflows in virtual research environments.
- Automated curation and reliable repository selection support for data depositors.
- Development of search and discovery services linking publications and data using agreed standards.
Sustainable accessibility remains a key priority. Although the context has changed considerably since 2005, the fundamental challenges of sustainably managing data remain relevant as ever. DANS continues its commitment to a robust and future-proof research data infrastructure.
