Connecting Knowledge: Tackling Interoperability in Research
Date: 21 May 2026
Time: 10:00–17:00
Location: Congresgebouw De Vereeniging, Mariaplaats 14, 3511 LJ Utrecht
Format: In person only
Register: Registration will open soon! Save the date.
The Thematic Digital Competency Centres (NES, SSH, LSH) are excited to invite you to our joint event on interoperability in research!
Ever wondered what another researcher meant with the code "ABR:NEO", or struggled to combine datasets? Or are you into vocabularies and ontologies, and want to discuss this with other scientists? Then this event is for you!
The meeting is aimed at anyone who produces, works with, or manages research data, and is interested in connecting datasets, data points and tools to create new knowledge. We start off with an introduction to interoperability: what is it, where is it used, and where would it be useful? This should give anyone the possibility to join the event, regardless of your technical knowledge or academic background. We are more interested in inspiring and creating a community of interested scholars than the nitty-gritty of technical implementation; fostering interoperability on a human level!
Registration
Registration is free, and includes lunch & drinks. Please let us know you're coming by filling in the registration form.
Programme
| Time | Activity |
| 10.00 – 10.25 | Registration & coffee |
| 10.25 – 10.30 | Welcome by TDCCs |
| 10.30 – 11.00 | Introduction to Interoperability |
| 11.00 – 11.20 | Lightning talks |
| 11.20 – 12.00 | Panel |
| 12.00 – 13.00 | Lunch |
| 13.00 – 15.00 | Breakout sessions (see below) |
| 15.00 – 15.30 | Coffee break |
| 15.30 – 16.00 | Conclusions and next steps |
| 16.00 – 17.00 | Drinks |
Breakout Sessions
From 13.00 to 15.00, we will be running parallel breakout sessions. Each session has a different focus, topic, required background knowledge. While they are organised by the different TDCC domains, and might use examples from their domains, each breakout is open to anyone, regardless of their background.
How Interoperable Are Our Tools, Really? Frameworks, Gaps, and Feasibility
By TDCC-LSH: Walter Baccinelli & Vedran Kasalica
This breakout session explores how tool interoperability be assessed in practice, going beyond nominal format matching to consider semantic compatibility, intermediate transformation, and realistic usage. The discussion aims to identify feasible metrics and baseline assumptions under incomplete and imperfect tool annotations, and to evaluate the potential of semi-automated approaches.
Interoperability through Lego – explore interoperability challenges
By TDCC-SSH: Alex Brandsen
This beginner-friendly session will make you think about some of the challenges of interoperability through a Lego challenge, with the aim of strengthening your understanding of the I in FAIR. Afterwards, we will brainstorm and refine some common challenges and potential solutions to interoperability problems in your domain(s), inspired by your Lego builds. If you are interested but not yet (very) knowledgeable about interoperability, this is the breakout for you!
Working with Ontologies: A Practical Workshop
By TDCC-NES: Kathrin Fullenbach & Dani Metilli
In this session, we introduce ontology-based modeling using a real-world example. Participants will develop and apply an ontology expressed in the Web Ontology Language (OWL) to represent domain concepts and relationships, supporting data integration, classification, and reuse across heterogeneous research data in interdisciplinary settings.
