DaTNet – development of a competence network for data trustee models

Digital data have become a central factor in value creation. However, they can only realise their full innovation potential when the often isolated data pools are brought together and jointly analysed. Unfortunately, there are technical, legal and economic hurdles to data sharing – especially if data sovereignty shall be guaranteed and the disadvantages of traditional, non-market-neutral platform services shall be avoided. Against this background, data trustees are seen as a key instrument to facilitate and intensify data exchange. Currently, there are numerous initiatives to establish functioning data trustees that are intended to operate across data domains and sectors. However, these initiatives are often disconnected from one another and also use different data trustee models. There is only limited exchange of experience and mutual learning.

The DaTNet project promotes networking, professional exchange and transfer of knowledge between existing data trustees and data trustee initiatives as well as relevant experts within the competence network. The network acts as a forum for the provision of information and the transfer of expertise, promoting the exchange of knowledge and experience between data trustee projects and enabling those involved in such projects to acquire comprehensive expertise. It focuses on technical, organisational, economic and legal aspects of data trusteeship, makes information on the topic of data trusteeship accessible on an open access basis, develops interactive teaching/learning formats and organizes topic-related workshops. DaTNet also aims to stimulate a broader public debate on data trustee models. For example, it provides its expertise to the political and administrative sphere through policy papers and public statements.

DatNet is a joint project of the Technical University of Darmstadt, the Philipps University of Marburg, the Dresden University of Technology and the RWTH Aachen University. It is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the European Union.