GDPR 4 Data Support

several people seated, listening to a lecturer

About this course

The GDPR 4 Data Support (GDPR4DS) course is an introductory course designed for data supporters who want to understand more about the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the context of research and want to strengthen their role in protecting personal data.

It will help you in fulfilling your intermediary role by increasing your awareness, becoming more knowledgeable and more effective in communication with researchers and your privacy officer about GDPR-compliance.

The course includes interactive sessions with experts, peer learning, and hands-on assignments to help you address the handling of personal data in a research context. The course makes use of an online environment that contains six modules in which you will learn the theory needed to understand the GDPR, get practical examples, and find guidance on processing personal data in research.

Course setup

The full course consists of two in-person days, about four or five weeks apart and is guided by two RDNL coaches.
During the in-person days you will meet your peers, share experiences and insights, discuss and learn from various experts in the field.
Between the two in-person days, you will have time to study the content in the online learning environment, interact with your peers and work on both group and individual assignments. You present your assignments on the second in-person day.
Provided you have completed all three assignments and attended both in-person sessions, you will receive a certificate on the second day of the course.

1

Illustrate:

Illustrate the main concepts of the GDPR and measures to take in relation to research.

2

Expand:

Expand your practical knowledge about the GDPR through the expertise of invited speakers and peer-to-peer exchange.

3

Apply:

Apply key GDPR principles to case studies from academic research environments.

4

Identify:

Identify improvements for privacy awareness within your own organisation.

Target audience

Data supporters in research institutions who are seeking a general understanding of the GDPR and GDPR compliance in the context of research.
Data supporters who play a connecting role between researchers and privacy professionals such as a privacy officer or data protection officer (DPO).

Time investment in the course

Two in-person days, 15-25 hours of online study, 3-4 hours of (group) assignment work.

Certification

Participants who attend both in person days and complete all assignments will receive a certificate of attendance.

Upcoming course

To find information about past and upcoming courses, please look at our News and Events. This is where you will find the announcements of upcoming courses, including the dates, location, and the registration form for the course.

If you want to make sure you do not miss any announcements for an upcoming course, you can follow RDNL on LinkedIn, where we will also promote upcoming courses and other events.

Costs

The full GDPR 4 Data Support course costs €895, excluding VAT.

If you cannot attend the course, please let us know as soon as possible via cursus@researchdata.nl. Then we might be able to fill up your vacant spot.

If we receive your cancellation up to 7 days prior to the first course day (the date of the first group meeting), no payment is required. For later cancellations, we will have to charge the full amount.

If you don’t attend the course without timely cancellation (up to 7 days prior to the first course day via cursus@researchdata.nl) the full amount will also be charged.

Upcoming courses

The Essentials 4 Data Support course provides an introductory-level overview for data professionals and those who assist researchers with storing, managing, archiving and sharing their research data. The first day will be Thursday, September 17, 2026, and the second day will be Tuesday, November 10, 2026. The in-person days will be hosted at TU Delft.
Language: English.
Capacity: 12 participants.
Cost: €895 (excluding VAT).
Recognition of attendance: Participants will receive a certificate upon successful completion of all course components.
Event type: Workshops and courses

Date: 17 Sep - 10 Nov
Location: TU Delft Library
Category: Essentials 4 Data Support

The GDPR 4 Data Support (GDPR4DS) course is an introductory course designed for data supporters who want to understand more about the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the context of research and want to strengthen their role in protecting personal data.
The in-person days of the course will take place at DANS in Den Haag on two days: October 1, 2026 & November 12, 2026.
Language: English.
Capacity: 12 participants.
Cost: €895 (excluding VAT).
Recognition of attendance: Participants will receive a certificate upon successful completion of all course components.
Event type: Workshops and courses

Date: 1 Oct - 12 Nov
Location: DANS-KNAW
Category: GDPR 4 Data Support

View more events

GDPR4DS Online-Only

The GDPR4DS modules in the learning environment are publicly available and free for anyone to take at any time. The main differences between the in-person and online courses are the absence of assignments, peer networking, and additional presentations that are provided during the in-person courses. To this end, the sole learning objective of the online course is to illustrate the main concepts of the GDPR and measures to take in relation to research.

Start the online-only course.