Global Support for Funding Sustainable Research Software in Amsterdam

22 Nov 2022 - 4 min

Together with the Research Software Alliance (ReSA), we proudly co-hosted the International Funders Workshop: The Future of Research Software on 8 and 9 November. Almost 60 participants representing 45 organizations from research funding organizations and other organizations that support research software from around the world gathered in Amsterdam to discuss the importance of funding sustainable research software.

What was the goal of this workshop, you may wonder? Other than helping national funding organizations better understand the necessity of research software, we have drafted an Amsterdam Declaration on Funding Research Software Sustainability, including a set of principles and recommendations. This draft declaration will set the future agenda for national and international funders to support sustainable research software. Together at this workshop, we had many discussions in efforts to help shape this declaration into one that we can all proudly sign.

“It’s fantastic to see so many funders engaging in the advancement of research software, as funders can play a key role in changing practices in the research sector. This event builds on the Research Software Funders Forum, a collaboration of funding organisations committed to supporting research software and those who develop it as fundamental and vital to research,” says Michelle, Director at ReSA.

“It is a pleasure to welcome our guests in Amsterdam. At the eScience Center, our goal has always been to highlight the vital role that research software and those that develop it have in research. By inviting funding organizations from around the world to come together to discuss ways to solidify research software on an international scale will help bring our vision to life,” says Joris van Eijnatten, General Director at the Netherlands eScience Center.

But this work has only just begun.

Following the workshop, a group, led by ReSA, will continue this work to finalize the Amsterdam Declaration.

This international workshop was the result of more than a year’s with the guidance of the Advisory Committee members:

• Michelle Barker, Director at the Research Software Alliance (ReSA)
• Neil Chue Hong, Director at the Software Sustainability Institute (SSI)
• Maria Cruz, Senior Policy Advisor, Open Science at the Dutch Research Council (NWO)
• Joris van Eijnatten, General Director at the Netherlands eScience Center
• Daniel S. Katz, Chief Scientist at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), USA

A special thanks our team at eScience Center who organized the international workshop, namely:

• Valentina Azzarà, Section Head for Social Sciences
• Tom Bakker, Policy Advisor
• Sacha van Breugel, Event Manager
• Joris van Eijnatten, General Director
• Carlos Martinez Ortiz, Scientific Community Manager
• Veronica Pang, Communications Advisor

Do you want to get involved or receive updates on this work? Email us at