News

We believe that all research software should be more visible and today we’re putting a spotlight on tier 3 research software that has become a shared, foundational resource across institutions, disciplines and research ecosystems.

What do we mean by “tier 3”?

In our working definition, tier 3 software — also called essential or foundational software — is software that is no longer tied to a single project or institution. It has become a shared resource with broad adoption, a central role in the research software ecosystem, and often high social dependency.

A Different Approach

At the de-RSE Collaborations Workshop, we took a different approach to discussing the FutuRSI Phase 1 concept: instead of presenting the concept and discussing it in a conventional workshop format, we turned it into a serious game.

Participants took on different stakeholder roles from the German research system, including funders, research institutions, RSEs, university leadership, network partners and early-career researchers. Each role came with its own interests, concerns and priorities. During the game, participants had to discuss and negotiate different aspects of the proposed German Research Software Nexus, while responding to changing conditions introduced throughout the session.

Over the past few months, we have taken a closer look at 19 research and infrastructure institutions from Germany, Europe and North America: their history, governance models, funding sources, strengths, potential blind spots and opportunities. These institutions vary widely: some have existed for decades, whilst others are still finding their footing; some enjoy secure, long-term funding, whilst others move from one project phase to the next. In this six-part series, we examine the findings from this analysis most relevant to the establishment of a German Research Software Institution.

Research software is not bound by national borders: its standards are developed globally, it is used globally, and its community has been transnational from the very beginning.