Research Information profile

Digitisation has profoundly changed the basis of scientific production and communication. The available information itself has been greatly expanded: it is no longer just books and scientific articles that are used as the basis for new research, but also data, source code, audio and video files or images. The new technologies also lead to an increased demand for availability via changed procurement channels: research results can and should be disseminated immediately, comprehensively and without barriers. In return, there is a growing expectation of receiving this immediate, comprehensive and barrier-free access.

The task of science-supporting infrastructural units is to guarantee the procurement, securing and distribution of information. In a changing scientific environment, infrastructures can only live up to the claim of wanting to offer research-related and service-oriented services if they face up to the resulting innovation needs and are prepared to change processes.

The "Research Information" (WIN) department at the WZB is able to meet these demands thanks to its high flexibility and good staff structure. In intensive support of the researchers, the staff of the department process the requests, providing the required information efficiently, quickly and in line with the needs. The changes in the information system and the resulting new work content and workflows are continuously taken into account through innovations. These are initiated through training and further education, but also through cooperation with external partners; they are tested for relevance and applicability and, if necessary, adapted to the framework conditions of the WZB and incorporated into the service portfolio. At the same time, the department performs important institutional tasks for the WZB: all research results of the WZB are secured and made freely accessible to the public whenever possible

Since 2017, the Research Information unit has consisted of four units dedicated to different aspects of acquiring, securing and distributing information distribution. The oldest unit is the library, which originally also included the archive. The topic of "open access" receives a great deal of attention at the WZB, which resulted in the appointment of an open access officer in 2016. The research data management unit - formerly "central data management" - rounds off the department's portfolio so that researchers are supported in all aspects of the research process.