About the RDA
The Research Data Alliance (RDA) was launched as a community-driven initiative in 2013 with the vision that researchers and innovators can openly share and re-use data across technologies, disciplines, and countries to address the grand challenges of society.
The RDA’s mission is to build the social and technical bridges that enable that vision, accomplished through the creation, adoption and use of the social, organisational, and technical infrastructure needed to reduce barriers to data sharing and exchange. Scientists & researchers join forces with technical experts in focused Working Groups, exploratory Interest Groups and Communities of Practice. Individual membership is free and open to all.
The RDA Vision and Mission
- The RDA Vision: Researchers and innovators openly share and re-use data across technologies, disciplines, and countries to address the grand challenges of society.
- The RDA Mission: RDA builds the social and technical bridges that enable open sharing and re-use of data.
RDA Guiding Principles
The RDA is built on six fundamental values and participation is open to all who adhere to its Guiding Principles.
- Openness – Membership is open to all interested individuals who subscribe to the RDA’s Guiding Principles. RDA community meetings and processes are open, and the deliverables of RDA Working Groups are publicly disseminated.
- Consensus – The RDA moves forward by achieving consensus among its membership. RDA processes and procedures include appropriate mechanisms to resolve conflicts.
- Inclusivity– The RDA seeks to promote broad, balanced and inclusive representation of its membership and stakeholder communities.
- Harmonisation – The RDA works to achieve harmonisation across data standards, policies, technologies, infrastructure, and communities.
- Community-driven – The RDA is a public, community-driven body of volunteer members and organisations, supported by the RDA Secretariat.
- Non-profit and technology-neutral – The RDA does not promote, endorse, or sell commercial products, technologies, or services and the development of open and re-usable recommendations and outputs within the RDA is mandatory.
RDA Governance
The RDA is supported by several advisory and administrative groups.
RDA Governance Document
For more detail on these governing bodies, please see the RDA Governance Document
Legal Entity
The RDA Foundation provides the core business operations of the RDA and represents the RDA globally.
The RDA Association AISBL, also a non-profit organisation, supports the RDA community in Europe.
Are you New to the RDA?
Read more about navigating the RDA on the Individual Membership page.