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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.

When designing a new institute, network or consortium, questions of governance and decision-making arise early on. Should there be a central board that concentrates power in the hands of a few? Or should decision-making be delegated as far as possible to member institutions, trusting that local initiatives will collectively add up to a coherent whole?

As part of our FutuRSI community activities, we have opened a discussion on our Adhocracy page around one of the central questions of our work: Which terms are best suited to describe the research software ecosystem and its elements?

In the proposed text, we describe the different actors, structures, elements, and relationships that shape the ecosystem and connect its different parts. Our goal is to develop a shared understanding of the ecosystem in order to identify needs, gaps, and future directions for the sustainable support of research software in Germany in a next step.

Recently, the FutuRSI team came together for an intensive in-person meeting to discuss the next steps in conceptualizing a future Research Software Institution (RSI) in Germany. The discussions focused on the long-term vision of the institution, different user groups, and the role of a central “Nexus” within the research software ecosystem.

An Open and Connected Vision

One of the key outcomes of the meeting was the shared vision of creating an open and inclusive structure for all actors in the German research software ecosystem. The planned “Nexus” is intended to serve as a visible, trustworthy, and coordinating body.