Professionals providing advice and support to researchers in the field of research data management: data stewards, other data professionals, researchers, information management specialists, librarians, research support staff, etc.

Nowadays, not only research projects generate large and complex datasets, but the sharing and reuse of information resulting from research work constitutes one of the foundations of contemporary science. In such a context, how to handle data throughout a research project according to best practices and standards?

By empowering scientists to manage and share their data properly, Data Stewards have emerged as a new sought-after professional profile in the landscape of research. Able to holistically address a wide range of questions related to legal frameworks, ethics, data protection, IT tools and security, FAIR and CARE principles or Open Research Data, they play an important role throughout the entire data lifecycle, supporting each stage from initial collection to final preservation and dissemination.

• To develop a solid knowledge on methodological, technical, ethical, legal, and data security aspects of research data management.
• To promote best practices at each stage of a research project to properly plan, collect, organise, document, store, share, preserve and reuse data.
• To be able to support and advise researchers for the management of their research data at every stage of the data lifecycle.
• To understand the institutional research environment, including the principles of Open Science and Open Research Data, and their implications for data management.
• To understand the role, responsibilities, and positioning of Data Stewards within an institution, and develop the ability to communicate about them.

In the short video below, Alexandra Stam and Gérard Bagnoud present the advantages of this dynamic and practical programme:

The Certificate of Advanced Studies in Research Data Stewardship consists of a compulsory core curriculum of three modules, followed by a certification module depending on the chosen orientation.

CORE MODULE 1 – RESEARCH DATA MANAGEMENT: BACKGROUND, GENERAL INFORMATION AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK
26-27 March, 23-24 April, and 7-8 May 2026
6 days of teaching (42 hours of teaching + approx. 58 hours of personal work)

Objectives:

• To understand the principles of Open Science and Open Research Data, and their implications for research data management, including legal, ethical, and security considerations.
• To develop a solid knowledge of the best practices in data management, to provide researchers with informed guidance throughout the research and data lifecycle – covering aspects such as the role of Data Stewards, Data Management Plans, and FAIR principles.
• To identify and evaluate suitable data infrastructures, distinguishing between storage, archiving, and sharing solutions, and advising researchers on how to enhance the value, accessibility, and reuse of their data.

Module and lesson leaders: René Schneider (HEG, HES-SO Genève), Georg Lutz (FORS, UNIL), Carmen Jambé (UNIL), Melanie Röthlisberger (UZH), Mikhaël Salamin (UNIL), Pablo Diaz (UNIL), Fabio Molo (UZH).

CORE MODULE 2 – VISIBILITY OF ACTIVITIES AND NETWORKING
21, 22 and 28 May 2026
3 days of teaching (21 hours of teaching + approx. 54 hours of personal work)

Objectives:

• To understand the institutional research environment, including policies, organisational structures, and strategic challenges.
• To know the roles related to research data management, particularly the role, responsibilities, and positioning of Data Stewards within the institution.
• To be able to communicate about Data Stewardship, including the institutional policy and the support and services offered.

Module and lesson leaders: Carmen Jambé (UNIL), Gérard Bagnoud (UNIL), René Schneider (HEG, HES-SO Genève), Melanie Röthlisberger (UNIL).

CORE MODULE 3 – ADVISORY AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT
11 and 12 June 2026
2 days of teaching (14 hours of teaching + approx. 36 hours of personal work)

Objectives:

• To acquire or reinforce technical skills necessary to support and advise researchers in using IT tools.
• To know how to use current file format standards and metadata schemas effectively.
• To be able to apply best practices for documenting and organising data to ensure quality, completeness, consistency, and long-term preservation.

Module and lesson leaders: Auriane Marmier (FORS), Sébastien Fasel and Fabienne Kilchör (Emphase), Thé Van Luong (UNIL).

CERTIFICATION MODULE (to choose from) – Participants must choose one of the following orientations, which reinforces the knowledge covered in the core modules according to the specific needs of that orientation:

Cursus

The Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Research Data Stewardship represents 300 hours:

• 3 core modules (77 hours of teaching + 148 hours of personal work).
• 1 certification module to choose from:
  • Transdisciplinary Orientation
    (7 hours of coaching + approx. 68 hours of personal work)
  • Biology and Medical Sciences Orientation
    (28 hours of teaching + approx. 47 hours of personal work)
  • Social Sciences and Humanities Orientation
    (28 hours of teaching + approx. 47 hours of personal work)

Certification

Participants who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Research Data Stewardship, delivered by the University of Lausanne, with 12 ECTS credits.

Consult the Academic Regulations, in French.

Organising entity

Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Lausanne (UNIL), in collaboration with:

• Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences (FORS)
• University of Teacher Education, State of Vaud (HEP Vaud)
• University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO)
• Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB)
• University of Geneva (UNIGE)
• University of Zurich (UZH)
• Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW)

Academic Director

• Prof. Georg Lutz, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Lausanne & Director of the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences (FORS)

Scientific Committee

• Gérard Bagnoud, Director of Information Resources and Archives Department (UNIRIS), University of Lausanne & Open Science Coordinator
• Marielle Guirlet, Programme Coordinator & Specialist in research data management, Information Resources and Archives Department (UNIRIS), University of Lausanne
• Vassilios Ioannidis, Director of the FAIR Data Management Unit, Vital-IT group, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics
• Carmen Jambé, Head of the “Research Data” sector and of the network of research data specialists, Information Resources and Archives Department (UNIRIS), University of Lausanne
• Prof. Georg Lutz, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Lausanne & Director of the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences (FORS)
• Prof. René Schneider, Chairman of the Department of Information Science, Geneva School of Business Administration (HEG-Genève), HES-SO
• Alexandra Stam, Director of Data Management Services (DMS), Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences (FORS)

Contact

Marielle Guirlet, Programme Coordinator: cas-datastewardship@unil.ch

Language

The course will be given in English

Course venue

UNIL-EPFL Campus, Lausanne, Switzerland

Dates

From March to October 2026

Course fee

6,000 Swiss Francs*

* Payment in instalments possible

Admission requirements

• Hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a Swiss or foreign university (HEU), from a University of Applied Sciences (HES), or another title deemed equivalent by the Steering Committee, and
• Have a minimum of 2 years of professional experience in research or in a field related to the CAS.

Registration

Admission on file to submit to Formation Continue UNIL-EPFL. Fill in the online registration form and upload your CV, a letter of motivation, and copies of the most recent or highest-level diplomas.

Registration deadline

December 12, 2025

Number of participants is limited