CDH Research Software Lab highlighted in LCRDM report ‘Professionalizing the role of Research Software Engineers in the Netherlands’
The Centre for Digital Humanities (CDH) Research Software Lab was highlighted in the recently published LCRDM report ‘Professionalizing the role of Research Software Engineers in the Netherlands’. The report maps the landscape of Research Software Engineering in the Netherlands, highlighting both successful models and persistent barriers.
The National Coordination Point Research Data Management (LCRDM) is a national network of experts on research data management (RDM) in the Netherlands. This report provides concrete recommendations for RSEs and their research organizations, funders, and policy makers to fully integrate RSEs into the academic ecosystem.
CDH Research Software Lab highlight
The CDH Research Software Lab is highlighted on the whole of page 10 of the report, in section 2: ‘The research software engineering landscape’.
Centre for Digital Humanities
The CDH Research Software Lab at Utrecht University was established in 2014, and serves as a central RSE pool primarily dedicated to the Faculty of Humanities. The development team consists of 10 RSEs, all of whom hold permanent positions. They provide technical support to staff by developing custom software solutions for research and educational purposes. Additionally, the team offers guidance on (the adaptation of) ready-to-use (open source) tools.Projects
The expertise of the CDH RSLab spans a wide range of applications; however, the team most often focuses on building databases, visualizations, and text mining tools. Project durations range from a few weeks to several years, and for assignments exceeding 160
hours, funding is required. All RSEs have academic backgrounds in humanities sub-disciplines such as linguistics, history, musicology, and artificial intelligence, enabling them to optimally connect with
researchers in the field.Funding
Approximately 65% of the lab’s costs are covered by externally funded projects. Funding sources include research grants (e.g., NWO, ERC) and collaborations with external partners, such as media organizations and government agencies.UFO Profiles
LCRDM report ‘Professionalizing the role of Research Software Engineers in the Netherlands’, March 2025
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