Organisational structure of the RDA
The RDA consists of five bodies: RDA Council, Secretariat, Technical Advisory Board, Organisational Advisory Board, and Regional Advisory Board. These bodies, and the relationships between them, are described in the RDA Governance Document.
RDA Council
The RDA Council is responsible for the oversight, sustainability, and overall success of RDA including the approval of candidate Working and Interest Groups to ensure alignment with RDA goals. The Council’s roles and responsibilities are described in the RDA Governance Document. The Council has nine members, including two Council co-chairs.
For more information on Council, including the Council members and their profiles, please see the RDA Council page.
RDA Funders Forum
The RDA Funders Forum, initiated around the launch of RDA in 2013, is a group of funding organisations / representatives with an interest in research data and related data policies. Participation to the Funders Forum is not limited to current funders of RDA, but is open to all funding agencies and organisations with an interest to attend.
For more information on the Funders Forum, please see RDA Funders Forum page.
RDA Organisational Advisory Board
The Organisational Advisory Board (OAB) is composed of representatives of the Organisational Members also known as the Organisational Assembly (OA). The OAB advises Council on the directions, processes, and mechanisms of RDA. A co-chair of the OAB serves as an observer member of Council. The procedures which govern OAB membership and activities are described in the Organisational Membership Process Document.
View the list of Organisational members and meet their representatives.
RDA Regional Advisory Board
The Regional Advisory Board (RAB) is composed of representatives of the Regional Partners of RDA. The RAB chairs and manages the Regional Assembly (RA) and advise Council on the directions, processes, and mechanisms of RDA from a regional / geographical perspective. A co-chair of the RAB serves as an observer member of Council. The procedures that govern RAB and RA membership and activities are described in the Research Data Alliance (2021): RDA Regional Partnership Processes Document, Version 2.1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15497/RDA00059
RDA Secretariat
Daily RDA operations and administration are conducted by the internationally distributed Secretariat, that can be contacted at enquiries[at]rd-alliance.org
For more information on the Secretariat, including the members and their profiles, please see the RDA Secretariat page.
RDA Secretary General
The RDA Secretary General is a key position in the RDA whose responsibilities include leadership of RDA’s membership, effective management of the RDA organization, engagement with RDA stakeholders and organizations, and sustainable stewardship of a dynamic, active, and high-impact community. The Secretary General works reports to the RDA leadership Council and works closely with all members of the RDA community.
RDA Technical Advisory Board
The Technical Advisory Board (TAB) is responsible for the technical direction of RDA and provides technical expertise and advice to RDA Council, as well as helping to develop and review RDA Working and Interest Groups to promote their impact and effectiveness. TAB is also responsible for the development, maintenance, and evolution of the RDA Technical Roadmap. A TAB co-chair serves as an observer member of the RDA Council. The procedures which govern TAB membership and activities are described in the TAB Responsibilities and Processes document.
For more information on the RDA TAB, including the members and their profiles, please see the RDA TAB page.