 At the VCCA 2021, we will dive into big data, data sharing and data pooling across countries in audiology. You will be updated on developments via two featured and five invited talks by experts in the field, followed by a panel discussion. This session will cover topics related to medical data structures, data sharing, data protection and what they mean for the area of audiology. First, some definitions. What is big data? Well, it's simply a very large collection of data or it can be multi-dimensional. What types of data are there? They can be public, open or proprietary. And within the GDPR framework, your organization can be a data controller or processor with different responsibilities to ensure privacy and fair use. Now some facts. Connectivity is transforming the hearing care model significantly. Wireless links allow hearing instruments and implants to effectively transmit the data they collect through the internet. This means we're entering a new age of big audiological data. Big data in combination with artificial intelligence has the potential to improve audiological standards, to improve diagnostics, treatment and rehabilitation of hearing loss. Which audiological big data is already available? Device reliability and survival? Fitting of the device? Usage data? Hearing status and data about the user? Quality of life? And demographics? What tools are available? Tools can be open and free like Python or commercial like MATLAB. What do we need to think about in this topic? Our goal is to leverage big audiological data while preserving patient privacy and perhaps even respecting patients' autonomy to choose how personal data is used. Good handling of health data is not just a positive value to hold. It will shape the kind of technologies and policies that we can implement. The special session will focus on three main subtopics. Accessibility of medical data and technologies to achieve data-based patient-centric decisions. Experience and synergies from the medical and tech industry on technologies and protocols to pull data from hearables, smartphones, hearing aids and cochlear implants. Experience from the clinics moving from single to multi-centre medical databases. Before the start of the special session, you will receive an online survey about big data and your data needs. The outcome will be discussed at the panel discussion. Here are some example survey questions. What data do you need to improve your clinical care or address your research question? Which kind of data would you be interested in gaining access to? Would you need collaboration to share data? And who should ideally own the data? Thank you.