Nominations are now open for Carpentries Instructor Training seats under the Building digital skills training and lesson development capacity in the Netherlands NES domain (DC4NES) project, funded by TDCC-NES and led by 4TU.ResearchData. This initiative aims to strengthen digital skills training capacity across the Natural and Engineering Sciences (NES) domain in the Netherlands by training 50 certified Carpentries instructors. The project will run two calls: the first open from 4 March – 29 May 2026 for 30–35 participants, with training taking place in October 2026, and the second opening in September 2026 covering the remaining seats.
Becoming a certified Carpentries Instructor enables you to teach foundational coding and data science workshops at your institution and beyond. Training is conducted in English by Carpentries Instructor Trainers, on location in the Netherlands. Each seat is valued at approximately EUR 900. Certified instructors are expected to teach at least two Carpentries workshops within two years of completing their certification.
Why nominate someone for Carpentries Instructor Training?
Our recent training needs survey across NES institutions shows that locally embedded instructors play a central role in supporting researchers’ digital skills. The instructors trained through this project will be core trainers at their institutes, sustaining and expanding training capacity for years to come. For this reason, institutional nomination and support are essential, we ask institutes to nominate candidates they are committed to supporting in their training role.
Beyond individual institutions, the project aims to establish Local Training Hubs: collaborative networks of geographically close research-performing organisations that pool certified instructors, share organisational responsibilities, and offer workshops on a rotating basis. This model is designed to make digital skills training scalable and sustainable, particularly for institutions where esources are limited. Newly trained instructors will be connected to these hubs as well as to the existing Research Software Training NL (RST-NL) network, ensuring they can start teaching and remain active in the broader Carpentries community in the Netherlands.
How this call was developed
The eligibility and selection criteria for this call were developed through a transparent, community-driven process. In late 2025, a survey distributed via the Carpentries Coordinators Network NL reached 69 respondents, predominantly data stewards, research software engineers, and research support staff from institutions across the Netherlands, mostly affiliated with the NES domain. Opinions on seat allocation were divided, with the most common preferences being either distribution across a selection of institutions and/or an open call model. These results informed the two-call structure: an institutional nomination round (Call 1) followed by an open individual call (Call 2). Draft criteria were reviewed and refined by the Carpentries Coordinators Network NL. All criteria documents are publicly available.
How to apply
This first call is open to individuals affiliated with NES-domain institutes. Eligible institutes will be contacted directly by Irina Motoc (Project Coordinator, 4TU.ResearchData) to confirm their participation and guide them through the nomination process.
Please read the documents below carefully before applying:
- Eligibility Criteria: Carpentries Instructor Training Seats — Call 1
- Selection Criteria: Carpentries Instructor Training Seats — Call 1
- Selection Process: Carpentries Instructor Training Seats — Call 1
- Methodology: Developing Eligibility and Selection Criteria
Which pathway applies to you?
My institute has a Carpentries membership (e.g. Gold, Silver, Bronze): Seats may already be available to you; visit Training in the NL – Research Software Training NL to check and contact your institute’s Carpentries Coordinator directly.
My institute does not have a membership, or I am unsure: Your institute will be contacted by Irina Motoc via the Digital Competence Centre (DCC) and/or data stewards group. If you are interested in being nominated via this first call or if you are not affiliated with a NES-domain institute, we encourage you to register your interest via your institute’s DCC — this helps us assess demand for second open call, coming in September 2026.
Questions?
For any questions about the project or the application process, please contact Irina Motoc (Project Coordinator 4TU.ResearchData) at i.motoc@tudelft.nl.