Regional membership
The Value of the RDA to Regions
The RDA recognises that strong partnerships with its Regional members are crucial to its success as an international organisation. This is achieved through a complementary and mutually-beneficial relationship between the RDA and its Regions.
The RDA provides the forum for the international community to connect and share knowledge on all aspects of data sharing. This global perspective is a key strength of RDA given that the challenges in data sharing are present throughout the world.
Value and benefits are realised through the work and business of the RDA.
The Value of Regions to the RDA
The international forum created by the diverse regional composition of the RDA is hugely beneficial to legitimise and strengthen the RDA’s Recommendations and Outputs.
Regions contribute to the RDA community’s work through participation in core activities, such as plenaries, Working and Interest Groups, workshops, and the collaborative creation of Recommendations and Outputs. Regions also contribute to RDA business through contributions (in-kind, monetary, hosting plenaries, etc.)
Governance
- The Regional Assembly (RA) is an appropriate formal body that gives Contributing, New and Aspiring Regions a voice in the business and strategy of RDA. It has an appropriate role in the RDA governance structures reflecting its high level of contribution to delivery of the RDA mission and vision.
- Each Region is responsible for administering activities in their region and for selecting a representative to participate in the RA.
- The Regional Advisory Board (RAB) consists of one representative from each contributing Region. The RAB elects co-chairs to participate on the RDA Council as observers to maximise the benefits of Regions to RDA and RDA to the Regions.
- Funders from contributing Regions may participate in the Funders Forum to assist RDA in its vision, strategy and accountability.
Legitimacy of Regions
Regions are expected to:
- Be actively involved in the RDA, and representative of a wide and diverse range of communities and stakeholders.
- Reflect interests and needs of the broad data community they support in their activities.
- Conduct activities that support the initiatives and growth of the RDA.
RDA Regional Partnership Processes Document
Details on the RDA Regional Partnerships and Regional Advisory Board and Regional Assembly are available in the Research Data Alliance (2022): RDA Regional Partnership Processes Document, Version 2.2 Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.15497/rda00059
Creation of New Regions
Groups interested in creating a new Region are encouraged to discuss the expectations, benefits, and relationship between a Region and the RDA with the Secretariat. Regions will be recognised by the RDA through a Formal Arrangement between a regional contact and the RDA Foundation2.
RDA Policy on Legal Entities and Regional Constructs
Research Data Alliance (RDA) policy on RDA regional legal entities and other “RDA” constructs
A regional RDA is a geographically based branch of the RDA committed to the RDA’s guiding principles and directly contributing to achieving the RDA’s vision and mission as well as global sustainability[1]. Regional RDAs are approved and recognised in negotiation with the RDA Secretary General and the RDA Council and must have a signed partnership agreement or a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the RDA Foundation.
Creation of RDA Legal Entities
The global RDA (legally represented by the RDA Foundation (the global legal entity)[2]) is the officially recognised representative of the RDA community[3]. There are some exceptions for regional RDA instances that have been approved by the RDA Council[4]. Organisations, associations, alliances, etc. using or referring to the RDA name, logo (and versions of that logo) must have a written agreement with the RDA Foundation outlining the scope, objectives, duration and eventual in-kind and / or financial contribution of the relationship.
Regional RDAs
The global RDA does not decide the level on which RDA Regions should be formed. It is for individual countries or consortia in the regions to define what model best suits their context and culture. This decision should remain flexible and open to change as circumstances require. RDA Regions are categorised under four types, with specific opportunities and benefits:
- Interested region: Interest in joining RDA as a national / regional partner
- Engaged Region: National / Regional group (web space) publicly available and dedicated regional representative(s) to animate
- Committed Region: MoU for national group signed
- Partner region: Partnership Agreement signed with RDA Foundation and official representation on RDA governing board (RAB)
RDA Engaged, Committed and Partner regions have a section on the RDA web site, set up and facilitated by the Secretariat. As per Council decision in 2017, in order to adhere to RDA communications and trademark processes and policies, no external web sites (on different domains from www.rd-alliance.org and rda-foundation.org) should be registered, established and/or published.
RDA Partner regions can submit Regional Outputs. Regional Outputs are useful solutions that have been generated by national level activities, aligned with and connected to the RDA and of value to the global community. For further details on Regional Outputs please see the Recommendations and Outputs Guidelines page.
RDA Regional logos can be generated if part of the written agreement and are a replica of the RDA brand with the region indicated in blue underneath (example shown).
Complete details on the RDA Regional Partnerships and Regional Advisory Board and Regional Assembly are available in the Research Data Alliance (2022): RDA Regional Partnership Processes Document, Version 2.2 Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.15497/rda00059
RDA Endorsements
As appropriate, the RDA endorses or supports events, products, statements, and occasionally proposals and projects. Unless otherwise noted, the Secretary General, where necessary in consultation with the Council Co-chairs, decides whether to endorse something. Endorsement allows the use of the RDA logo and includes help with promotion and coordination but does not include any financial support from the RDA Foundation.
RDA Logo Usage (text currently available at https://www.rd-alliance.org/rda-endorsement-and-logo-usage-guidelines/)
The RDA logo and other related brands are registered trademarks of the Research Data Alliance Foundation. To ensure consistent adherence to the RDA’s Guiding Principles, permission is required to use the RDA logo and branding. Permission is granted by the Secretary General (or designee) in consultation with the Council co-chairs. Typically, logo use is granted along with endorsement of a product or activity (see below). Requests to use the logo should be sent to enquiries[at]rd-alliance.org.
In the following situations, explicit permission is not required, but notification of the use is appreciated.
- Current Organisational Members and Affiliates may use the logo on their web sites and other promotional material to demonstrate their support of the RDA.
- Organisations that adopt RDA Recommendations may use the logo on relevant media to indicate they are using RDA Recommendations in a particular product or service (i.e. a sort of “powered by RDA” concept).
- Current, endorsed Working Groups and Interest Groups may use the logo on materials related to official Group activity such as meetings outside formal Plenaries, RDA product promotion, community engagement activities, etc.
- Official Regional RDAs (with a valid, approved partnership agreement) may use their version of the logo as they see fit as long as the logo user adheres to the RDA’s Principles.
The RDA encourages broad use of the RDA logo to promote RDA products, activities, and principles, but retains the right to deny usage in any situation deemed inappropriate by the Secretary General in consultation with the Council co-chairs.
[1] https://www.rd-alliance.org/how-rda-works/
[2] https://www.rd-alliance.org/about/rda-foundation/
[3] https://www.rd-alliance.org/about/
[4] RDA Europe Office was established as a legal entity in 2020 to ensure eligibility for funding opportunities in the European Union
Regional Engagement Updates
This presentation outlines the benefits and opportunities for regional RDA partners and the categories of engagement.