World Data System (WDS)

About the World Data System (WDS) 

The World Data System (WDS) is a Research Programme of the International Science Council (ISC; formerly ICSU). WDS supports ISC’s vision by promoting long-term stewardship of, and universal and equitable access to, quality-assured scientific data and data services, products, and information across all disciplines in the Natural and Social Sciences, and the Humanities. WDS builds worldwide ‘communities of excellence’ of data holders and data providers, and facilitates scientific research by coordinating the activities of its Member Organizations—certified, trustworthy scientific data services—to achieve an overall capability that transcends individual ones while strengthening their links with the research community. WDS Members are the building blocks of a searchable common infrastructure, from which a data system that is both interoperable and distributed is formed.

The World Data System & RDA

WDS Members have a strong and tangible commitment to open data sharing, data and service quality, and data preservation. Through its membership, WDS can identify ‘real’ data issues faced by those dealing with the day-to-day practicalities of data stewardship, By exploring these issues through its Interest and Working Groups, RDA develops  community-endorsed solutions—recommendations and outputs—for adoption by the WDS community. Alongside  ISC’s Committee on Data, WDS and RDA also co-organize the International Data Week series that brings together almost one thousand members of the data science community.