Call for Applications to Host International Data Week (IDW) 2029

International Data Week is organised by:

CODATA logo
World Data System logo

CODATA advances global collaboration to improve the availability, usability, and stewardship of research data, promoting Open Science across disciplines.

Research Data Alliance (RDA) develops and implements community-driven infrastructure and best practices to enable open sharing and reuse of data worldwide.

World Data System (WDS) supports trusted scientific data repositories and services, advocating for accessible, high-quality, and reproducible research data.

TOGETHER, THESE FOUNDING ORGANISATIONS ARE INVITING PROPOSALS TO HOST THE SEVENTH EDITION OF IDW IN SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2029.

APPLICATION PROCESS & DEADLINE

Applications should be sent by email to all of the IDW founding organisation representatives (contacts in the IDW2029 Call for Applications document) no later than 2 November 2026, in electronic format following the requirements of and template included in the above linked document.

CONFERENCE OBJECTIVE:

The primary objective of the IDW conference is to bring together a large, representative portion of the global data community. Previous editions have been highly successful in fostering collaboration, innovation, and impact. As the global landscape evolves, the founding organisations seek local partners and venues that can help convey the excitement, mission, and urgency of these times in data science.

ENGAGEMENT:

International Data Week is a global and inclusive conference, dedicated to strengthening data communities worldwide. The founding organisations are keen to engage with cities and countries where IDW or related meetings have not previously been held. Applications from Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) are strongly encouraged; proposals from the High Income Economies should show how they will work with the founding organisations to maximise participation from LMICs. Wherever the proposal comes from, it will be important to demonstrate how the partnership will advance the missions of the founding organisations, ensure the impact of IDW, and enhance membership of and engagement with the three organisations.

Applications should demonstrate that local hosts have access to both a suitable physical venue and a virtual conference platform; strong support from local organisations and government; good connections to universities, industry, and research organisations in the country and region; and solid financial support.

CONFERENCE FORMAT: 

IDW 2029 is envisioned as a four-day conference that integrates the activities of a SciDataCon international conference and an RDA Plenary Meeting. IDW includes both research sessions and focused working meetings, as well as broad plenary sessions of general interest. The days before and after each conference will be set aside for the business and governance meetings of CODATA, RDA, and WDS, as well as potentially other co-located meetings.

While the primary purpose of the call for applications is to identify a host for the 2029 edition, applications received may also be considered for the 2031 edition.

Find WDS and WDS Members Presenting at Open Repositories 2026

WDS-IPO Program Manager Daniela Santos Oliveira will be presenting at Open Repositories 2026 on Tuesday, 9 June 2026, at 16:00 UTC. Her presentation is titled “Advancing Trustworthy Repositories: The Role of Certification and Self-Assessment within the World Data System Community,” which will explore how certification and self-assessment practices support trustworthy data repositories within the World Data System community. Daniela will share practical approaches for embedding FAIR and TRUST principles, discuss evolving certification criteria, and highlight tools and peer-support initiatives that help repositories enhance quality, resilience, and inclusivity, even when facing resource constraints.

Additionally, you can find a list of WDS member presentations here.

2026 WDS DATA STEWARDSHIP AWARD WINNERS

World Data System Logo

NEWS RELEASE

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT:

Samantha Campbell (scampb89@utk.edu)

WDS Information Specialist 

2026 WORLD DATA SYSTEM DATA STEWARDSHIP AWARD WINNERS

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., 7 May 2026 The World Data System (WDS) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Data Stewardship Awards, recognizing exemplary commitment to open data and best practices in data stewardship. 

Following a comprehensive review of all nominations, the WDS review committee has selected three outstanding individuals for their significant contributions: 

Winner: Lindsay Callaghan, South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), South Africa 

Second Place: Anirudh Prabhu, Carnegie Institution for Science, USA 

Third Place: Brooke L. Long-Fox, Phoenix Bioinformatics, USA 

The WDS extends its sincere appreciation to all applicants for their dedication to advancing data stewardship. Special thanks are also due to our panel of reviewers for their diligence and expertise throughout the selection process. 

For further details about each awardee’s achievements, more information about the Data Stewardship Awards, and upcoming announcements, please visit https://worlddatasystem.org/news-events/data-stewardship-awards/. 

 

About the World Data System 

Founded in 2008, the World Data System (WDS) is an affiliated body of the International Science Council (ISC). Its mission is to enhance the capabilities, impact, and sustainability of its member repositories and data services by fostering trusted communities of scientific data repositories. The WDS also aims to strengthen the entire lifecycle of data management, ensuring that high-quality data supports first-class research output. Additionally, it advocates for accessible data along with transparent and reproducible science.  

WDS International Program Office (IPO) is hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DE-SC0021915) and the International Technology Office (ITO) is hosted by Oceans Network Canada.  

https://www.worlddatasystem.org/ 

 End-  

OpenAIRE and the World Data System: Collective Action for Research Data Infrastructures

OpenAIRE and the World Data System (WDS) renew their partnership to demonstrate impact of interconnected research data infrastructure. 

OpenAIRE and the World Data System (WDS) are continuing their partnership following the renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding. Together, they aim to build a more comprehensive and FAIR representation of research data infrastructures, highlighting the value of data repositories through their interconnections and contributions to Open Science.

OpenAIRE and the World Data System share a long-standing commitment to supporting data-driven research and Open Science. Through this collaboration, the two organisations will work together to strengthen research data infrastructures and improve how data repositories are represented, connected and assessed. 

Read the full press release here.

David Castle Presents on Data Governance and Repository Certification at the 16th Symposium on Polar Science in Tokyo

David Castle, Chair of the WDS Scientific Committee, was invited to present at a major gathering within the National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) program—the 16th Symposium on Polar Science and its ROIS-DS Special Seminar. His presentations addressed:

                    • Cross Domain Data Governance 
                    • Certification Frameworks for Scientific Data Repositories: Strengthening Repository Trustworthiness 

Dr. Castle’s contributions emphasized the importance of effective data governance and robust certification standards for enhancing trustworthiness in scientific repositories. WDS extends sincere appreciation to Dr. Castle for his ongoing leadership and commitment to advancing global collaboration in data science. 

World Data System Members at AGU25 Flyer

In support of the WDS 2025-2027 Action Plan, we are proud to highlight our members and advance their value narratives by sharing their sessions, presentations and posters as linked in our World Data System Members at AGU25 flyer. Schedule as of 4 December 2025. All times are listed in CST.

Access the flyer here!