During the first funding phase of KonsortSWD (until September 30th, 2025), the focus was primarily on conceptual preparation and assessing the technical feasibility of the forum. By actively involving interested research data centers at this early stage, it was ensured that the needs of relevant stakeholders were taken into account during the development process. Following intensive beta testing, Forum4MICA was released for regular operation in February 2023 and introduced to the scientific community.
As part of the conceptual preparation, content-related and organizational questions regarding the structure and operation of the forum were clarified, and the technical implementation options were examined. During this phase, the project team at the Research Data Center at LIfBi (FDZ-LIfBi) maintained close exchange with interested research data centers from other institutions. After the beta version was completed, all processes and functionalities underwent intensive testing. The subsequent further development of Forum4MICA culminated in an official release, making the forum publicly available and known within the scientific community. The forum, which is supported by several research data infrastructures and research data centers, is hosted at LIfBi and moderated by FDZ-LIfBi.
In the second funding phase (starting October 1, 2025), the focus will shift to two main priorities. First, further efforts will be made to involve relevant stakeholders from the research data infrastructure, aiming to attract additional research data centers for active participation and thereby expand the forum’s reach. Second, technical enhancements will ensure that Forum4MICA continues to meet the evolving needs of the user community. To respond to these needs, surveys will be conducted within the community, and semi-annual workshops will be held with the partners involved in the forum.