OpenAIREplus workshop - “Linking Open Access publications to data – policy development and implementation” (June 11, 2012)

1. 6/19/2012
IT Services
Research Data Management Policies
– the tale of one institution’s journey
to ratification.
Funded by the
Mary McDerby
+ University of Manchester
Contribution
Overview
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The University of Manchester
Research Data Management at Manchester
The MaDAM Project
The MiSS Project
The Policy
The University of Manchester
Facts and figures – 2010:
• Four Faculties – 20
Schools plus 100s of
specialist research
schools
• 5000+ research staff
• 3500+ postgraduate
research students
• £279.4m external
research funding
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2. 6/19/2012
Research Data Management at Manchester – in the
beginning their was MaDAM
Image: http://my.opera.com/aeronoors/blog/
Why?
Funder Mandates on Retention
Reputational Damage
Wasted Resources
Publication Policies
Risk of data loss
Image: http://hereticalnotions.com
Inconsistent ad hoc data management solutions available
within the user community
Image: http://digestingthefat.blogspot.com
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3. 6/19/2012
Users report multiple copies of data, difficult to track down
the right version
Image: http://blog.holidayextras.co.uk
Much use of portable devices for transfer, storage and
sharing
Image: http://kingsenglish.info
Decentralised and fragmented storage
Image: http://ourlittlecornerofparadise.blogspot.com
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4. 6/19/2012
Backup policies not always in place
Image: http://www.mjscomputers.net
Limited means of disseminating data
Image: http://www.webmartuk.com
No archiving policies to support long-term curation
Image: http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca
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5. 6/19/2012
MaDAM Pilot: Research Data Management
Context Sensitive Actions
Project/“Folder” Data
Web Explorer
Bulk Downloads
“Folder” Contents
The MiSS Project
• £1 million investment,
£250K of which is
funded by JISC.
Image: http://www.time-management-central.net/
• £750k University
investment comprises
staff time and £245K
equipment investment
• Transition from pilot to
sustainable service
Where to start?
• Individual funders policies
• University of Manchester
Policies
• RCUK 7 Common
Principles on Data Policy
• Digital Curation Centre
resources – links to other
policies
• Academic Champion
• We wanted something clear
and simple
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6. 6/19/2012
The Policy – Clear ownership and responsibilities
1. The University endorses the RCUK Common Principles on Data Policy and requires all its
staff and students to adhere to them, as well as taking into account any other research data
management requirements that may apply
2. The University recognises its responsibility to support good research data management
practice, and will provide appropriate support services and guidelines (Guidelines) for
researchers.
3. All Relevant Data, and the intellectual property rights therein, are subject to the University’s
intellectual property policy (Intellectual Property Policy). They are generally the property
of the University (and/or, where relevant, a subsidiary company), unless agreed otherwise
e.g. in relation to commercially sensitive data that are subject to a third-party agreement.
4. Where the nature of a Relevant Project is such that the ownership of Relevant Data might
be ambiguous – for example, in a multi-partner collaboration – it is the responsibility of the
Principal Investigator to ensure that the ownership of, and intellectual property rights in, all
data are agreed formally in advance, paying due regard to the University’s intellectual
property policy, and relevant third-party agreements.
The Policy – Data Management Planning
5. Every Relevant Project initiated following the adoption of this Policy must have a
research data management plan (Research Data Management Plan), which
follows Guidelines, and addresses the arrangements for research data management
throughout the project life-cycle. Unless agreed otherwise, the plan must respect
the research data management policies of the funder(s) and of any other interested
parties. It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator to ensure that the
Research Data Management Plan is created, recorded by the University, adhered
to and updated as necessary throughout the project lifecycle.
The Policy – Where can data be stored?
6. Relevant Data must be stored in a way that follows Guidelines and ensures
appropriate security and integrity of the data, compliance with confidentiality
undertakings and data protection law, and respect for ownership and intellectual
property rights. Where Relevant Data is stored outside the direct control of the
University, details must be recorded in the Research Data Management Plan, and
it is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator to use their best endeavours to
ensure that equivalent standards apply.
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7. 6/19/2012
The Policy – Discoverability and Re-use (Metadata)
7. All Relevant Data must be associated with metadata which meets minimum
standards set out in Guidelines, and is sufficient to enable other researchers to
understand how it was created or acquired, and, if it is to be made openly available,
to discover it and assess its reuse potential.
The Policy – Retention Periods
8. Relevant Data that are likely to have long-term value, including data that
substantiate research findings or represent records of the University, must be
preserved and curated, following Guidelines, for as long they remain of value, and
for at least any period stipulated by the funder or other relevant authority.
The Policy – Openness and Publishing
9. The University expects its researchers to make Relevant Data openly available to other
researchers in a timely way, with as few restrictions as possible. It is recognised that some
restrictions may be necessary, e.g. to protect intellectual property, respect confidentiality, or
honour third party agreements, but these should be minimised as far as is practicable. It is
also recognised that it may be appropriate to allow a limited period of privileged access to the
data for the research team that acquired or created it.
10. Where Relevant Data are made openly available, it is the responsibility of the Principal
Investigator to ensure compliance with all relevant legal and other requirements including:
ethical approvals and consents, the rights of data subjects, the 1998 Data Protection Act,
intellectual property rights and agreements and any other confidentiality agreements.
11. Where Relevant Data are used to underpin published research, but there is good reason for
the data not to be made openly available, it is nevertheless expected that researchers will
normally make all relevant data and related materials available to other researchers or
interested parties for the purpose of verifying the integrity of the research, subject, where
necessary, to suitable restrictions and confidentiality undertakings. Published research should
always include information on how to access the supporting data. Users of third party
research data should acknowledge the sources of their data and abide by the terms and
conditions under which they are accessed.
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8. 6/19/2012
The Policy – the gentle reminder…
12. This Policy should be read in conjunction with the University’s Code of Good
Research Conduct which sets out the University’s overarching policy framework
for good research practice, including the management of research data.
Research Data Management Policy
• Was ratified on 16th May 2012
• The ratification path:
– University Research Group
– Research Support Group
– Consultation Period
– Planning and Resource
Committee
– Senate
– Board of Governors
Image: http://www.adcet.edu.au
Many Thanks!
MiSS
www.manchester.ac.uk/miss
Mary McDerby
mary.mcderby@manchester.ac.uk
Project Team
MeRC : Meik Poschen, Rob Procter
IT Services: Robin Pinning, Mary McDerby (Project Manager)
UoM Library : Jon Besson, Phil Butler, Lorraine Beard (Principal Investigator)
Project Sponsor
Jan Wilkinson (UoM Library)
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