Metadata preparation
We help researchers and research groups prepare clear, complete and reusable metadata for datasets, software, workflows, training materials and other research outputs.
Good metadata make research outputs easier to find, understand, cite, connect with publications and reuse in repositories, catalogues and EOSC-related services.
Submit a consultation request
What this service supports
Dataset metadata
We help prepare core metadata for research datasets: title, authors, description, keywords, licence, access conditions, related publications and funding information.
Metadata completeness
We check whether the metadata contain the information needed for discovery, citation, reuse and repository publication.
Standards alignment
We help align metadata with relevant standards and profiles, including DataCite, Dublin Core, OpenAIRE, DCAT and domain-specific metadata profiles.
Machine-actionable metadata
We support the preparation of structured metadata examples in formats such as JSON, CSV or other machine-readable representations.
How the process works
1. Request
You submit a consultation request and briefly describe the research output that needs metadata support.
2. Initial review
The Competence Center reviews the request and identifies the type of object: dataset, software, workflow, training material, service or another resource.
3. Metadata profile selected
The appropriate metadata profile or template is selected according to the type of object and the intended publication route.
4. Metadata prepared
The metadata are prepared, improved or checked for completeness, consistency and interoperability.
5. Ready for publication or reuse
The final metadata can be used for repository deposit, catalogue description, FAIR assessment, OpenAIRE compatibility or EOSC-related preparation.
What users should prepare
To make the process efficient, users are encouraged to prepare:
- title or working name of the dataset or research output;
- short description of the research object;
- list of authors, contributors and affiliations;
- contact person;
- keywords or subject terms;
- related publication, project, DOI or repository link, if available;
- information about methods, software or workflow;
- file list or folder structure, if relevant;
- licence or access conditions, if known;
- draft metadata or repository record, if available;
- specific questions about metadata fields or standards.
Expected outcomes
Depending on the request, the outcome may include:
- complete or improved metadata;
- recommendations on missing metadata fields;
- selection of an appropriate metadata profile;
- recommendations on keywords and controlled terms;
- alignment with DataCite, Dublin Core, OpenAIRE, DCAT or domain-specific profiles;
- metadata prepared for DataverseUA publication;
- metadata prepared for OpenAIRE or EOSC compatibility;
- JSON, CSV or table-based metadata example;
- recommendations for improving FAIR readiness and reuse potential.
Metadata standards and profiles
The service is based on international metadata standards and good practices. Depending on the type of resource and the intended publication route, the Competence Center may use or map metadata to:
- DataCite Metadata Schema for datasets, DOI records and citation-ready research outputs;
- Dublin Core and DCMI Terms for general cross-domain resource description;
- OpenAIRE Guidelines for repository harvesting and European visibility;
- DCAT for catalogue-level descriptions of datasets, distributions, services and catalogues;
- SKOS-compatible vocabularies for controlled terms and semantic consistency;
- domain-specific metadata profiles for particular research areas, workflows or data types.
The goal is not to replace international standards with local forms, but to help research groups connect their local descriptions with recognised metadata schemas and interoperability requirements.
Submit a request
To request support with metadata preparation, please use the consultation request form.
Submit a consultation request