OPARA among the top 10 Research Data Repositories in DFG Analysis

The latest Data Story from the German Research Foundation (DFG) analyzed information on research data management in 78,838 grant applications submitted between 2017 and 2025. As part of the application process, the DFG checklist asks applicants to describe how they collect, document, and secure data, as well as whether and where the data will be made available for reuse by archiving or publishing. The analysis examined how often specific data repositories were mentioned, indicating that researchers determine the planned archiving and reuse of their data early in the application process. A total of 1,026 different repositories were identified using re3data.org and ranked by the frequency of their mentions.

OPARA ranks first among German university repositories

OPARA, TU Dresdens institutional research data repository, ranked 10th out of 1,026 in this evaluation. OPARA has been developed with support by the Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism (SMWK) and is operated at ZIH for four Saxon universities (TU Dresden, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Leipzig University, Dresden University of Applied Sciences). It was the most frequently mentioned repository operated by a German university.

The results highlight OPARA’s visibility and relevance in researchers’ plans for archiving and sharing research data. This high level of acceptance is supported by the comprehensive support services offered by the Center for Interdisciplinary Data Science (CIDS), in particular the OPARA team at SDE (Unit Systems Design and Engineering) and the Service Center Research Data.

The DFG analysis also found that research data management plans in grant applications have become more detailed over time, with specific repositories being mentioned increasingly often. While the analysis does not assess actual repository use or user satisfaction, it offers insight into the infrastructures researchers plan to use for the archiving and sharing of their data. OPARA’s position among the most frequently mentioned repositories highlights the role of a university-based service in supporting research data management in Saxony.