Applications are now open for the next call of the Building digital skills training and lesson development capacity in the Netherlands NES domain (DC4NES) project. The DC4NES project is 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. One of the objectives of the project is to fund three teams of 2–3 people to participate in the Carpentries’ Collaborative Lesson Development Training (CLDT) which teaches essential skills and good practices for designing and developing a lesson as an open source project. The call is open from 1 May – 31 July 2026, with training taking place in November 2026 in person in the Netherlands.
What is the Collaborative Lesson Development Training?
The CLDT equips participants with the skills to develop pedagogically sound, reusable, and openly licensed lesson materials in a collaborative manner. Completed lessons are published in the Carpentries Incubator, where they are freely available to instructors worldwide. The two-day training is conducted in English by Carpentries Trainers Johan Hidding and Toby Hodges. Each team seat is valued at approximately EUR 5,000–6,000. The time investment of the training is 16 hours excluding preparation time.
Why apply for the CLDT?
There is a recognised need for NES domain-specific training materials in the Netherlands. While some discipline-specific lessons already exist in the Carpentries Incubator, coverage of topics such as chemistry, physics, and advanced computational methods remains limited. The CLDT provides teams with the pedagogical framework and structured support to turn existing teaching materials, or entirely new lesson ideas, into openly available, community-maintained lessons.
Beyond lesson development, teams participating in this project will be connected to a growing national network of instructors and training coordinators through Research Software Training NL (RST-NL) and the Local Training Hubs that will be established in 2027 through the DC4NES project. Developed lessons will be piloted through this network, helping teams gather feedback and refine their materials.
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. The results informed the design of this call. Draft criteria were reviewed and refined by the Carpentries Coordinators Network NL. All criteria documents are publicly available.
How to apply
This call is open to teams of 2–3 people affiliated with NES-domain research-performing organisations in the Netherlands. At least one team member must be a certified Carpentries Instructor at the time of application. Teams from different institutions are encouraged to apply together.
Please read the documents below carefully before applying:
A matchmaking session will be held on 18 June 2026 in Utrecht, organised by RST-NL. This is an opportunity to connect with potential team members from other institutions before submitting an application. Attendance is not required to apply.
Which pathway applies to you?
I already have a lesson idea and a team: Submit your application via the application form before 31 July 2026.
I have a lesson idea but no team yet: Join the matchmaking session on 18 June 2026 in Utrecht to connect with potential collaborators.
I am interested but not sure if I qualify: Contact Irina Motoc (see below) or check the eligibility criteria document.
Questions?
For any questions about the project or the application process, please contact Irina Motoc (Project Coordinator, 4TU.ResearchData) at i.motoc@tudelft.nl.