Press release
New impetus for data expertise: QUADRIGA presents further developed framework
The QUADRIGA Data Competence Centre, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), has taken another important step in its development: with the publication of the fourth version of its data competence framework, a revised and sharpened model for the systematic teaching of data skills is now available.
The framework was continuously developed over the course of the project and is based on the analysis of internationally established competence models. The current version reflects both practical experience from the project work and feedback from the specialist community. The aim is to clearly structure competences along the scientific data flow and thus provide orientation for research and teaching.
The framework is being developed in close cooperation between the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam and the Institute for Library and Informationswissenschaften at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. In addition to Prof. Dr Heike Neuroth and Paul Walter (FHP), Prof. Vivien Petras, PhD, Hannes Schnaitter and Melanie Seltmann (HU Berlin) are also involved.
The model serves as a central tool in the project: it enables researchers to carry out a structured self-assessment of their data skills and at the same time forms the basis for the development of customised Open Educational Resources (OER). These digital learning opportunities are aimed in particular at academics from the digital humanities and administrative sciences. The case studies of all three data types are compiled in a separate web view and will also be available in the future via a navigator, which should make it possible to create individual learning paths.
"With the fourth version of our data literacy framework, we have reached an important milestone in the QUADRIGA project. We have succeeded in developing a model that is both practical and scientifically sound, which offers researchers a clear orientation in dealing with data and forms the basis for our educational offerings, " says Prof. Dr Heike Neuroth.
About QUADRIGA
QUADRIGA is the Berlin-Brandenburg Data Literacy Centre and as such is one of eleven projects funded by the BMFTR to increase data literacy in the sciences. In addition to the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the University of Potsdam (network coordination), Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, Fraunhofer FOKUS, Freie Universität Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin and the Gesellschaft für Informatik are also involved.
The project combines various disciplines - including digital humanities, administrative science, computer science and Informationswissenschaften - and looks at different types of data such as text, tables and audiovisual content. The aim is to bring research and learning environments closer together: While specific data-based questions are investigated in case studies, digital educational programmes are created at the same time.
A particular focus is on improving the indexing and use of administrative data, which has often been insufficiently considered in an academic context to date. QUADRIGA is being funded by the BMBF with around three million euros over an initial period of three years.
Further information
Petras, V., Neuroth, H., Seltmann, M., Schnaitter, H., & Walter, P. (2026). QUADRIGA Data Literacy Framework (Version 4). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19470557
Further publications of the QUADRIGA data literacy framework can be found on the Zenodo community page of the project.