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My Experience at the ATRIUM TNA Training School, University of York

by Ntomproulou Dimitrios

In November 2025, I travelled from Thessaloniki, Greece to the United Kingdom to participate in the ATRIUM Transnational Access (TNA) Training School, hosted at the University of York and coordinated by the Archaeology Data Service (ADS). Ι spent five intensive days immersed in digital preservation, research data management, metadata standards, communication strategies, and the future of open research infrastructures.

Day 1

Introduction to ADS and the ATRIUM Project The first day provided a warm welcome by Dr. Nicky Garland and the ADS team. Dr. Garland’s role in organising the training school was outstanding; he ensured that every part of the programme ran smoothly and that all participants felt supported from the very first moment. Beyond the logistical excellence, he made a conscious effort to engage personally with each of us, showing genuine interest in our backgrounds, research needs, and expectations. We were introduced to the mission of ADS as the UK’s accredited digital archive for archaeology and heritage, its organisational structure, and the foundational principles guiding its work: preservation, access, and responsible data stewardship. The day also included a tour of King’s Manor, participant introductions, and a collaborative discussion on our goals for the training school.

Day 2

FAIR/CARE Principles and Data Management The second day focused on building a solid understanding of the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and CARE (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics) principles. These frameworks helped us reflect on how data should be shared ethically, especially when dealing with sensitive information. We continued with the fundamentals of Data Management Plans, their essential components, and the role of metadata in ensuring long-term preservation and discovery. The sessions on open research highlighted the social and academic value of transparency and responsible knowledge sharing.

Day 3

Digital Preservation and Archiving Workflows The third day offered a deep dive into digital preservation models, the ADS archiving workflow, and the DPC-RAM assessment framework. We explored how data moves from creation to long-term storage, the risks of technological obsolescence, and the significance of robust documentation. We also learned about file migration and normalisation, and how institutions make decisions regarding the selection and retention of digital assets—critical knowledge for any organisation building or maintaining an archive.

Day 4

Dissemination, Interfaces, and Communication The fourth day concentrated on disseminating research and making data reusable. Using case studies, we discussed effective strategies for communicating academic outputs, designing clear digital interfaces, and tailoring messages to diverse audiences.

Day 5

Hands-on Data Cleaning and Professional Consultations The final day included an introductory session in R programming, which was particularly valuable for me as someone working with linguistic data and large sets of transcriptions. An important highlight was the one-on-one meeting with the ADS archivists, who were exceptionally supportive and willing to assist each of us—even beyond the scheduled hours. Dr. Nicky Garland was equally generous with his time, consistently helping us whenever needed and actively coordinating the discussions with the archivists to ensure that every participant received tailored guidance for their research challenges. How the Training Benefits My Work This training school has had a direct impact on my work with linguistic and archival data. The knowledge gained on metadata standards, preservation strategies, and workflow structuring is essential for ensuring that digital collections remain accessible and reliable over time. More personally, as someone who collects and analyses linguistic transcriptions, the training taught me how to:

  • standardise and clean data for reproducibility,
  • apply FAIR principles to language datasets,
  • design metadata that preserves contextual linguistic information,
  • use simple programming tools (like R) to manage and analyse large corpora,
  • and prepare datasets for long-term preservation and potential reuse by other researchers.

The week in York was not only academically enriching but also inspiring. The ADS team and fellow participants created a collaborative environment that strengthened my confidence and skills in digital archiving and research data management. A special mention must be made of Dr. Nicky Garland, whose professionalism, kindness, and exceptional coordination shaped the entire learning experience. His combination of organisational skill, personal engagement, and scientific excellence made the training school both memorable and profoundly valuable.