How Do You Make Your University FAIR-er?

Many of us are familiar with limited resources, complex organizational structures, and growing demands for openness, accountability, and long-term data stewardship. Working within those constraints, how can we make our university FAIR-er? At the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, we chose to shift our focus from development of concrete infrastructure to development of operational capacity and culture. A four-year institutional data management programme was initiated which focused on soft infrastructure. Rather than introducing new systems, the programme looked to strengthen existing services, support local capacity, and foster cross-university collaboration. Among the programme activities can be mentioned the creation of processes and workflows, strategic recruitment of key expertise, development of support partnerships, and building capacity for targeted communication and outreach. In this lightning talk, we will present the design, implementation and tangible outcomes of the programme, highlighting some key challenges and reflecting on what we have learned. We hope to spark discussion, gather feedback, and connect with others working to build FAIR-er institutions by operational means as much as technical development.