About ICSU World Data System

A new ICSU World Data System (WDS) has been created through a decision of the 29th General Assembly of the International Council for Science (ICSU).

WDS builds on the 50-year legacy of the ICSU World Data Centre system (WDC) and the ICSU Federation of Astronomical and Geophysical data-analysis Services.

Over 100 WDCs and Federation Services, as well as numerous other data centres, services and activities, have already expressed interest in becoming part of the new system.

The WDS concept aims at a transition from existing stand-alone WDCs and individual Services to a common globally interoperable distributed data system, that incorporates emerging technologies and new scientific data activities.

The new system will build on the potential offered by advanced interconnections between data management components for disciplinary and multidisciplinary applications.

Applications for the new WDS are already being investigated, including a prototype data portal which is being considered as a proof of concept for an element of the new system.

WDS will enjoy a broader disciplinary and geographic base than previous ICSU bodies and will strive to become a world wide wide 'community of excellence' for scientif data.

To this end, WDS will work closely with ICSU’s Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) and with the new ICSU Strategic Coordinating Committee for Information and Data (SCCID).

Draft ICSU WDS Constitution

The ICSU WDS Scientific Committee has agreed on a Draft Constitution  for the new system at its second meeting in Paris (22-24 March 2010). This draft constitution was subbmited and approved by the ICSU Executive Board (9-10 April 2010).