Botanist with a PhD in biochemistry. Management team member at the largest academic library in the Netherlands. Mentor and coach. (co-)Founder of UvA digital competence center, UvA data science center, Studium Digitale, SpringerPlus and Transfer Desk. Writes about peer communities, academic freedom and data sovereignty. Open access publisher, innovator and research services development consultant. Academia itself is more and more data-driven and new skills are required for researcher, students, teachers and supporters alike. As we are moving towards data science, open science and open education we need to ensure everyone is able to take advantages of all possibilities these new developments offer. Developing your personal digital skills and data literacy is essential for everyone involved. This requires access to the best programs, courses and effective peer communities – a new and crucial mission for academic support partners.Research and teaching accelerate with great support. Contributing to the quality of cutting-edge research and teaching requires a continuous dialogue, a highly knowledgeable and skilled team and excellent service. Information services such as libraries and publishers play a crucial role as partners that connect, advise and support.