The Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi) hosted the kick-off meeting for the German Research Foundation (DFG) infrastructure priority programme 2431 "New Data Spaces for the Social Sciences".

The event marked the official launch of the programme, which aims to develop innovative research approaches and methods for, on and in addition to social science panel studies. 

For two days, around 50 researchers from different fields of social and computer sciences met in Bamberg to network their research projects and explore opportunities for collaboration. The special feature of "New Data Spaces" is the emphasis on interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration, which is intended to have a lasting impact on the future survey landscape. On the first day, each project gave a five-minute pitch, illustrating the diversity of research and projects funded under the priority programme and their synergies. It became clear that there are overarching concerns of the projects and the programme as a whole that will be addressed as part of the priority programme.

The second day focused on practical aspects of collaboration and the challenges of the future survey landscape. After a welcome and introduction by Dr. Eckard Kämper, DFG Programme Director for the Humanities, Social and Behavioural sciences, the function and range of services of the Research Infrastructure and Innovation Lab (ENTAILab), managed by the initiators of the priority programme and designed as an overarching laboratory for the projects of the priority programme, but also for future research with complex and novel data, was presented. During the meeting, it became clear that the work packages in ENTAILab were well chosen. In particular, the pressing challenges posed by new types of data regarding data protection and data ethics are an important initial common starting point and were very well received by the participating projects.

Professor Cordula Artelt, spokesperson for the priority programme "New Data Spaces", bid farewell to the participants after two days of intensive exchange: "This kick-off was the successful manifestation of a common spirit. It became clear that our approach and our services will not only meet the needs of individual projects, but that the priority programme will make a decisive contribution to the further development of innovative data landscapes in longitudinal social science research as a whole. I would like to thank you all for your participation and contributions and look forward to seeing you again soon."