MIRRI-ERIC Research Data Management Webinar Has Positive Impact on a Global Audience

On 13 January, MIRRI-ERIC hosted a webinar dedicated to the fundamentals of Research Data Management (RDM) for its Partners and wider community. More than 80 participants from MIRRI-ERIC microbial resource centres, as well as attendees from the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Croatia, and Brazil, joined the event to deepen their understanding of Research Data Management.

This introductory-level webinar highlighted the strong international interest in applying FAIR data principles and Open Science practices to culture collections management. It also reaffirmed MIRRI-ERIC’s commitment to implementing high-quality data management best practices across its network of Partners and collaborators.

Effective data management is essential to ensure reproducibility, enable data reuse, and maximise the long-term value of microbial resources and their associated data.

 

Starting from the basics

The two-hour training provided a guided introduction to the fundamentals of RDM, tailored to researchers and professionals working with biological and microbial data. Building on key themes such as the data lifecycle, FAIR principles, and reproducibility, the session explored essential aspects of planning, documenting, storing, and sharing research data to enhance transparency, reuse, and long-term impact.

The webinar opened with an overview of core concepts, distinguishing between data, metadata, and knowledge, and emphasising the importance of reproducible science in addressing current challenges such as growing data volumes and research integrity. Participants were introduced to the FAIR data principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and learned how these principles relate to Open Science as well as ethical and legal requirements in data handling.

The webinar was delivered by Daniel Faria, Assistant Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, and Integrated Researcher at INESC-ID.

 

Great feedback

An initial analysis of post-event feedback collected by MIRRI-ERIC through a survey showed a very positive response. More than 80% of respondents rated the webinar as interesting, relevant, and useful, and expressed strong interest in participating in future training activities focused on research data management.

Through initiatives such as this, MIRRI-ERIC is strengthening the data management capacity of its nodes’ staff to ensure excellent service provision. Stay tuned for upcoming events and resources that continue the dialogue on making microbial resources data more robust, FAIR, and impactful.

 

MIRRI-ERIC and the upcoming webinar series

This week, MIRRI-ERIC launched a new webinar series entitled “MIRRI-ERIC Voices”. The series is designed to give visibility to MIRRI-ERIC partners by showcasing their work, achievements, and innovations in the microbial domain to MIRRI-ERIC users.

The second episode of MIRRI-ERIC Voices will take place on 11 February 2026 at 15:00 CET, and the link to register will be available soon. Join us to explore the diversity and impact of microbial resources across Europe.

 

About MIRRI-ERIC

The Microbial Resource Research Infrastructure – European Research Infrastructure Consortium (MIRRI-ERIC) is the pan-European distributed Research Infrastructure dedicated to the preservation, systematic investigation, provision, and valorisation of microbial resources and biodiversity.

MIRRI-ERIC brings together 45+ microbial domain Biological Resource Centres (mBRCs), culture collections, and research institutes from eight European countries. Through a single access point, it connects an unparalleled collection of more than 180,000 high-quality microbial resources from across Europe, with activities particularly focused on the fields of Health & Food, Agro-Food, and Environment & Energy.

 

Unleashing the power of microbial resources across Europe and beyond!