How should a national research software institution foster community engagement and knowledge transfer?

Question details

Question code: org6de

Detected type: Multiple select

Answer order: metadata item order

Number of answers: 206

This question was requested by FutuRSI for the 2026 survey.

Other free-text answers

Show 6 raw free-text answers (6 distinct)
  • Again, whatever de-RSE doesn't do.
  • Encourage developers to share their software under a free and open-source license
  • From my experience in my previous job, i learned that creating training material and giving trainings is of great value, but the time investment is so high, that when they would be sold commercially, basically no revenue can be generated. Also it probably takes a few years until a training is well-polished, requiring repeated testing of the training material. I think allocating a budged per employee per year, to attend to external trainings or buy access to training material is a better effort to satisfly the broad range of possible skills and give everyone the opportunity to excell their knowledge specifically in the area where its needed, individually. I think an RSE community benefits from a broad range of skills, distributed across many people, that have an easy path to exchange information and feel comfortable doing so. In the end, a tight connection between juniors and seniors is a very good way to educate
  • Research Software Directory for Germany, Research Software Engineer directory for Germany (skills and expertise in what, to get connected/find contributors)
  • Scholarships and grants specifically for RSE retention and career advancement, prioritizing underrepresented groups
  • Sichtbarkeit für Community-Engagement bzw. wichtige Beiträge erhöhen

Interpretation

Conferences and workshops received the strongest support, followed by training opportunities and shared training resources. Regular online talks, a moderated networking space, and train-the-trainer programmes attracted less support. Free-text responses favoured access to external training, junior–senior mentorship, and searchable national directories of research software and RSE expertise over building a large in-house training operation.