NORF 2025 Open Research Fund 

Sonraí Irish Data Stewardship Network is delighted to have been awarded funding under the NORF 2025 Open Research Fund. 

Host Institution: HEAnet 

Lead Applicant: Jenny O’Neill, Research Engagement Officer, HEAnet 

Project Partners: Dr Aoife Coffey, Research Data Lead and Dr Pádraig Mac Aodhgáin, Research Data Steward, UCC Library, and Ruth Geraghty, Research Data Coordinator, RCSI Library.  

Sonraí Irish Data Stewardship Network was established through the 2022 Open Research Fund as a priority action in Ireland’s National Action Plan for Open Research 2022-2030. Its mission is to strengthen data stewardship skills across the national research landscape by: 

 

• • Raising the profile of data stewards,  

 

• • Advocating for greater recognition of the need for data stewardship, 

 

• • Supporting professionalisation of the role of data steward and skills including the development of relevant skills and career pathways  

 

• • Fostering knowledge development throughout the emerging community. 

In this next phase we’re taking an exciting step forward, transitioning  from a grant-funded project to a self-sustaining national. To do this, we’re actively exploring sustainability models that support long term impact. A key part of this is  financial sustainability. We are proud to be developing and piloting our first fee based microcredential in Data Stewardship  accredited through UCC College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences. This credential will not only help build essential skills in the research community but also will contribute to the long-term vision and viability of our network.  

To further support growth of the network we’re developing a scalable model for  creating  discipline specific data stewardship curricula. As a first step we will design and pilot a curriculum tailored to a specific research discipline, helping to embed data stewardship more deeply within domain specific practices.   

With support of Sonraí Committee and Steering Group and in partnership with Sonraí members we will also launch a Data Champions programme. This initiative will help to raise awareness of data stewardship roles and responsibilities while expanding and diversifying the community of practice across Ireland.  

Central to Sonraí aims is promotion and communication and we are dedicating significant project resources to ensure our work reaches and resonates with the wider research community. Collaboration is key, we will be working directly with Open Repositories Ireland (ORI) and the Irish Reproducibility Network to amplify outputs from other open research projects and networks and foster meaningful synergies across the open research landscape. We are also actively seeking new partnerships with organisations such as DRI, iFrame, RDA, IRel and EOSC Ireland to strengthen connections and build a more integrated open research community. 

What to expect from Sonraí: Key outputs & milestones 

As Sonraí continues to grow, we’re excited to share some of our key milestones that will shape the next phase of our journey: 

 

• • Sustainability model report: We will publish a comprehensive report outlining models for the long-term sustainability of our network.  

 

• • Microcredential Development: We are creating content for our first microcredential , Introduction to Data Stewardship designed to build foundational skills in the field.  

 

• • Pilot microcredential: Our accredited course will be piloted to test and refine its impact. 

 

• • Curriculum Development Framework: We’re designing a model for developing discipline-specific data stewardship curricula, ensuring relevance across diverse research domains. 

 

• • Health Science Module: As a first application of this model, we’ll co-create a data stewardship module tailored to the Health Sciences. 

 

• • Launch of Sonraí Data Champions programme: This initiative will empower individuals to advocate for data stewardship within their institutions and disciplines. 

 

• • Global Contribution: We aim to publish at least 1 peer reviewed paper that contributesto the global advancement of data stewardship. 

 

These milestones reflect our commitment to building a robust, inclusive, and sustainable data stewardship community in Ireland and beyond. 

About the NORF 2025 Open Research Fund 

The NORF Open Research Fund is provided by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science through the Higher Education Authority. The funds are administered by the Digital Repository of Ireland as the coordinating organisation for NORF, headquartered under the Royal Irish Academy. 

The 2025 NORF Open Research Fund was a targeted call aimed at existing networks formed in response to the implementation of priority actions funded under the 2022 scheme. This new round of support reflects NORF’s recognition of the value of prior investments and its commitment to enabling these networks to transition from grant-funded projects to self-sustaining entities.