Master in Data Management and Curation: 2nd Edition launched
The second edition of the Master in Data Management and Curation (MDMC), organised by Area Science Park and SISSA – International School for Advanced Studies, started on 22 September.
This post-graduate advanced training course provides young researchers as well as professionals with advanced skills in managing research data according to the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable). This approach has become essential to ensure the quality, integrity and reusability of scientific data and to promote a culture of open science at the international level.
The programme was recently presented at CERN by Mariarita de Luca and Federica Bazzocchi from Area Science Park during the Open Science Fair 2025, held in Geneva from 15 to 17 September. On that occasion, the theme of FAIR data and the advanced skills required for their management was discussed as a key element in supporting the next generation of researchers.
“Today data drive discovery, innovation and decision-making,” explain the researchers from Area Science Park. “For this reason, the ability to manage and curate them responsibly is crucial. Ours is a pioneering training programme that embraces the ‘FAIR-by-design’ paradigm, going beyond theory: instead of retrofitting datasets to FAIR criteria, MDMC students learn to integrate the FAIR principles from the earliest stages of data planning within the broader context of Open Science. This innovative approach is made possible thanks to the strong collaboration between Area Science Park and SISSA, which provides a dynamic ecosystem of research and innovation”.
The second edition of the Master brings together 15 students from 7 different countries, with academic backgrounds ranging from Genetics to Electronics, Physics to Data Science, as well as Linguistics, Psychology, Economics and Mathematics. The 2025–2026 class also stands out for its diverse backgrounds: 3 students already hold a PhD, 7 have a Master’s degree and 5 a Bachelor’s degree.
The programme lasts ten months and combines lectures, laboratory activities and internship periods at research centres and high-tech companies. Its aim is to train professionals capable of working as Data Stewards, Data Curators, Data Engineers and Data Managers in both scientific and industrial contexts.
More specifically, the structure of the course includes eight intensive weeks of in-person lectures and hands-on exercises, followed by six months of internship in cutting-edge research laboratories or data-intensive institutions. During this period, students implement FAIR-by-design workflows and pipelines in real scientific contexts. This model provides a unique opportunity to work closely with researchers, develop tailored data management strategies and face the practical challenges of semantic interoperability, metadata standards and sustainable infrastructures.
By training versatile, practice-oriented data professionals, the MDMC contributes to shaping a new generation of researchers capable of transforming data from a mere research product into a strategic asset, crucial for both academic excellence and data-driven innovation.
For further details, see the course’s scientific programme.
Watch the video featuring testimonials from students of the first 2024–25 edition.