JISC

Supporting the needs of e-Research

JISC wishes to commission a study to investigate and make recommendations on how JISC Portal activity could be enhanced to support the needs of e-Research. The focus for this area of work is resource discovery.

The aims and objectives of the study are to:

• scope the requirements of e-research within the area of resource discovery with reference to ‘portal’ type services and tools
• identify gaps and duplication within the current provision (with reference to JISC portal and other relevant activity) therefore to identify potential areas for new work and possibly synergies that could offer a more holistic approach than currently available
• highlight issues and challenges that will need addressed in terms of serving e-Research requirements and in terms of enhancing portal activity for the IE more generally
• make recommendations for portal related activity that could be taken forward by JISC

Funding of up to £30,000 (inclusive of VAT and related travel and subsistence) is available for the study. The expected start date for the project is 20 March 2006. The project is expected to last up to four months.