There is no cost for membership. Members are organizations that operate as data repositories, networks of data repositories, or organizations that support data repositories and research data management.
The different membership types are Regular, Network, Partner, Associate, and Candidate. For more information on the membership types, please go to: https://worlddatasystem.org/members.
We also accept Early Career Researchers as part of our WDS-ECR network membership.
Regular Members are organizations that are data stewards and/or data analysis services (e.g., data centers and services that support scientific research by holding and providing data or data products).
Network Members are umbrella bodies representing groups of data stewardship organizations and/or data analysis services, some of which may or may not be WDS Regular Members. Network Members usually serve as coordinating agents for nodes that have common characteristics and mostly common disciplines (e.g., International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange).
Partner Members are organizations that are not data stewards or data analysis services, but that contribute support or funding to WDS and/or WDS Members (e.g., International Scientific Unions of ISC supporting data services, and public and private agencies that provide technical or financial support).
Associate Members are organizations that are interested in the WDS endeavor and participate in our discussions, but that do not contribute direct funding or other material support (ISC National Members, Academies, and some commercial entities could be in this category).
Candidate Members are organizations who wish to become Regular Members, but who currently do not have all processes and documentation in place to undergo CoreTrustSeal certification. Candidate membership is a sign of commitment that an organization will become a certified CoreTrustSeal Trustworthy Data Repository and an accredited WDS Regular Member.