The Data Intensive Research Initiative of South Africa (DIRISA), a programme of the South African National Research Network (SANReN), proudly hosted the 7th Annual National Research Data Workshop at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria from 02 to 03 July 2025. The workshop once again served as a vital platform for advancing the country’s research data management and open science agenda.

With the theme "Research Data Repositories and Services for the Future," this year’s workshop brought together researchers, data stewards, information technology professionals, librarians, policy-makers and students from across the country and the continent. Over 70 delegates attended in person and a few presentations were hosted virtually, marking the largest participation in the event’s history.

In his opening address, Dr Lulama Wakaba, Executive Cluster Manager for the CSIR NextGen Enterprises and Institutions, highlighted the importance of trusted digital infrastructure and collaboration for South Africa’s research competitiveness.

The two-day event featured a robust programme of keynote addresses, panel discussions, technical tutorials and hands-on training sessions. Key topics included data principles, data governance, research infrastructure, data repositories and artificial intelligence integration in data management.

Key takeaway highlights:

• A significant number of delegates requested the event upgrade to a conference with formal proceedings.
• DIRISA Project Coordinator, Xolani Nkosi, expressed pride in the workshop’s growing impact, saying, “Our goal is to create an inclusive, collaborative environment where all stakeholders in the research data lifecycle can engage, learn, and shape the future of data-intensive science in South Africa. This year’s turnout and energy affirm that we are on the right track.”
• The workshop concluded with a forward-looking session focused on building a national open science framework aligned with South Africa’s Draft Open Science Policy, as well as regional initiatives led by the African Open Science Platform.

About DIRISA

As a component of the National Integrated Cyberinfrastructure System (NICIS), DIRISA coordinates and promotes sound research data management practices, supporting data-intensive research. The NICIS is a national initiative of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and is implemented by #TeamCSIR.

DIRISA thanks its partners, sponsors and participants for their contribution to the continued success of the National Research Data Workshop. Plans are already underway for the 2026 edition, promising even deeper collaboration and innovation.

For more information, visit https://www.dirisa.ac.za.