This year’s Summer School for Data Stewards, held in Malá Morávka in the Jeseníky Mountains, offered a practical programme focused on tools, skills and approaches that can make the everyday work of data stewards easier. Participants explored Python and artificial intelligence, learned about institutional data policies, data management plans, README files and metadata profiles, and also took part in a workshop on communication and presentation skills.
International guest Matthias Täschner from Leipzig University introduced the fundamentals of working with JupyterLab and notebooks. He guided participants step by step through setting up an environment for Python projects using the uv tool and connecting the bia-bob AI assistant via an API. T
ogether, they explored how the assistant can be adapted to the needs of data stewards. It can help, for example, with preparing a data management plan, cleaning and validating data, creating visualisations or recommending a suitable metadata profile.
The second part of the workshop focused on practical uses of Python in Jupyter Notebooks. Participants tried data validation using the Pandas library and learned about other possibilities, including data cleaning and depositing data in repositories such as Zenodo via an API.
Radka Římanová explained why an institutional data policy is important and what role it plays in defining responsibility for research data. She also introduced a data policy template developed by the EOSC CZ Education and Human Resources Working Group. The document includes a basic preamble, definitions of key terms, scope, methods of data collection, and the division of responsibilities between researchers and institutions. It is designed as a general framework that individual institutions can adapt to their own needs.
Georgia Koutentaki presented a project focused on developing discipline-specific README templates as part of the Czech Academic and Research Discovery Services project.
A README document stored alongside data in a repository can briefly explain what a dataset contains, how it is organized, and how it should be used. It is a simple step that can significantly improve data reuse and correct interpretation.
The Data Stewardship Wizard team, represented by Hana Litavská, Kryštof Komanec, and Jana Martínková, introduced the capabilities of the DSW tool. Its main advantage is that users do not have to formulate every answer in a data management plan from scratch. Instead, they work with predefined options in a questionnaire, which are then used to generate the final document. DSW therefore helps researchers save time while supporting continuous and systematic data management.
The tool can be customized through project templates or by modifying the knowledge model. The team also presented an AI-based document-generation feature that enables the final document to reflect changes in the knowledge model without updating its template. The feature is currently available in the test instance of DMP.eosc.cz and uses a model operated within the e-INFRA CZ environment.
Michal Med led the final expert workshop. He introduced participants to three major metadata profiles: Dublin Core, DataCite, and DCAT, including their history, differences, and potential uses. In a practical exercise, participants explored how requirements for describing data change depending on the user’s perspective. The exercise clearly demonstrated why there is no single universal metadata profile and why attempts to create one often result in yet another profile.
The program also included a workshop led by Tereza Kolmačková and Anna Soldánová, focusing on communication, public speaking, and handling different professional situations. In the surroundings of the Jeseníky forests, participants were able to test their reactions in simulated scenarios, build confidence, and better understand their strengths. The program highlighted that the work of a data steward depends not only on technical expertise but also on the ability to communicate clearly, listen, and advocate for change.
The Summer School was also attended by Matyáš Hiřman, a representative of the Data Stewards Community, who helped moderate the accompanying program and shared entertaining stories from the everyday lives of data stewards.
The event was therefore not only a place for learning but also provided space for informal meetings, the exchange of experience, and the further strengthening of the community. The participants themselves also appreciated this aspect.
“I am very glad that the data stewards community exists. It was a very successful event,” one participant said.
Recordings of almost all the sessions are available on the 2026 Summer School for Data Stewards website.
Matyáš Hiřman, data steward, talks about his experience with the data management course at the University of Vienna. In the interview, he explains the growing importance of the National Repository Platform and EOSC-CZ IPs. He mentions why the topic of scientific data management and storage is so important today.
Georgia Koutentaki began her studies in Patras, but found her dream laboratory at the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague. What started as a three-month Erasmus stay eventually turned into doctoral studies, and she decided to remain in Prague. Today, she trains a new generation of data stewards and is an active voice in the international research data management community.
