Student Involvement in Data for All: Exploring Data Interoperability

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In the Data for All project, municipalities, regions, research institutions, and companies collaborate to design public services by harnessing the power of data. Data come in all shapes and sizes. They can have different formats, formatting, coding, units of measurement, intervals, conventions, or assumptions, that can make it challenging to combine and utilise effectively.

Andreas Winter, a professor at the University of Oldenburg, Germany and Christian Schönberg, a lecturer, are investigating approaches to enhance data interoperability. As part of their research-oriented teaching activities, they have chosen to engage students and integrate them into the Data for All project. 

During the summer semester of 2023, in the seminar "Smart Data Interoperability", Andreas Winter and Christian Schönberg introduced students to the concept of interoperability. They posed the questions: "What are the specific challenges in achieving data interoperability in smart systems? And what general solution approaches currently exist?"

Three students took a deep dive into this complex topic, focusing on the technical challenges, data conflicts, and the legal framework associated with processing smart data. The outcomes of their research provide valuable insights into the Data for All partners.

Andreas Winter notes "Currently, we are initiating additional theses on various topics relevant to Data for All.” Following the Data for All partner meeting in Vejle, a Master's thesis is advertised to elaborate metadata repositories, helping define the necessary metadata specifically for Data for All. A current bachelor´s thesis aims to apply a recent approach to data interoperability to an excerpt of the German Data for All pilot.

Integrating Research into Teaching

Back in 2022, Andreas Winter introduced the Data for All project in his Requirements Engineering lecture, engaging discussions with students. The insights generated from these discussions were presented to all Data for All partners during a project meeting.

This year, students have gathered concrete requirements for a Data for All use case. This case, based in Kiel, Germany, will focus on mobility and cycling infrastructure, further involving students in real-world problem-solving. The current "Smart Data Interoperability” seminar by Andreas Winter and Christian Schönberg is performed in collaboration with the partnering Tashkent University of Information Technologies named after Muhammad al-Khwarizmi in Urgench, Uzbekistan. Students from both universities jointly evaluate technologies that are used for making smart data interoperable.

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Photo by Nina Mumm

What’s next?

The Data for All project has recently concluded its first year, offering ample opportunities for students to get involved and learn from the project. Andreas Winter and Christian Schönberg are already planning further learning and research experiences, fostering even further the impact of the Data for All project. 

Do you want to learn more about the strategy of research-oriented teaching at the University of Oldenburg? Contact