Data Management training to enhance PhD students' career development

As part of IMB-CNM's training program, aligned with the institute's Strategic Research Program and dedicated to the continuous professional development of researchers and PhD candidates, a customized Data Management Course was delivered by La Salle – Universitat Ramon Llull (Barcelona) for PhD students funded by the IMB-CNM's María de Maeztu program.

The course aimed to strengthen participants' competencies in research data management and promote good scientific practices. It was structured around three main topics: Scientific data storage, Data characterization and quality criteria, and the scientific data lifecycle.

The workshop consisted of four in-person sessions, for a total of 13.5 hours of training. The first session lasted 3 hours, while the remaining sessions lasted 3.5 hours each. The additional 30 minutes in the latter sessions were dedicated to reviewing the practical exercises and assignments completed by the participants after the previous class, encouraging discussion and reinforcing the concepts covered.

The course was attended by 13 PhD students and was delivered by Xavier Vilasís, Míriam Calvo, and Uzziel Pérez from La Salle – Universitat Ramon Llull (Barcelona).

Throughout the course, participants acquired practical knowledge and skills for managing research data across its entire lifecycle, including data organization, documentation, storage, quality assessment, sharing, and reuse. The training also introduced best practices in research data management, data management plans, and the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles, supporting reproducible, transparent, and responsible research.

This course is one of the training and professional development activities offered within IMB-CNM's María de Maeztu Program, equipping early-career researchers with essential competencies to meet the challenges of open, responsible, and data-driven science.