New project: Building digital skills training and lesson development capacity in the Netherlands NES domain 

We are happy to announce the launch of a new TDCC-NES funded project led by 4TU.ResearchData: Building digital skills training and lesson development capacity in the Netherlands NES domain (Digital Capacity for NES).

The project will run for two years and aims at increasing the software and digital teaching capacity in the natural and engineering sciences (NES) in the Netherlands. The project will build this capacity through the Carpentries training programmes, a renowned international organisation and community that teaches foundational coding and digital skills to researchers worldwide. This project is a collaboration between 4TU.ResearchData, TU Delft, eScience Center, Tilburg University and the Carpentries Coordinators Network NL. 

The first aim of the project is to train 50 new Carpentries instructors. Secondly, the project offers three teams the opportunity to join the Carpentries Collaborative Lesson Development training to design new reusable NES lessons.The new instructors and the lesson development teams will be connected with other research performing organisations to form regional Training Hubs to collaboratively provide training to NES researchers. To stimulate this, the project will provide guidance and financial support to run the first four Carpentries workshops in these new Local Training Hubs.

The project is built around four work packages: 

• WP1: Project coordination and liaison with relevant networks
• WP2: Development of eligibility criteria and selection processes
• WP3: Organising training opportunities
• WP4: Kickstarting carpentries workshops

Irina Motoc, Project Coordinator, says: “I am delighted to coordinate this project which brings much needed digital capacity to the NES domain across Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences.”

Paula Martinez Lavanchy, WP4 co-lead: “Researchers increasingly need training on programming, research software and digital skills. We hope that this project can facilitate that research institutions are well-prepared and join forces to provide the training in a more sustainable manner.”