JISC

The project will focus on the data management and curation needs of two selected Research Centres within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences (HLS), namely the Centre for Research in Biosciences, and the Centre for Health and Clinical Research.

The two research centres capture a range of data types, issues and challenges, and their involvement builds on interest and commitment already expressed by the centre Directors. Working with groups within HLS affords the opportunity to look at a variety of data management issues, which will assist in scoping the challenges for an institution at the early stages of establishing data management policy, protocols and systems. These will include matters related to ethics and confidentiality, a wide variety of data formats, working with external partners, such as Health Trusts, and issues of commercial intellectual property.

The lessons from establishing governance and a usable data management environment for sample research centres will, in the longer term, be used to establish a working solution which meets the needs of the university’s wider research community and supports institutional and external requirements. Given the current research environment in which funding bodies are increasingly stipulating that data management be properly addressed, the work will add value to the university’s research process, fulfil funding body requirements, and close a gap in the research life cycle at UWE, where outputs are frequently readily available, but supporting data is not.

Objectives

To draw on the outcomes of previous JISC MRD projects to develop models which address the research data management needs of selected research projects producing a wide range of data types.

To develop suitable processes, infrastructure and guidance which are in keeping with the culture and administrative processes of the university, and which fulfill the needs of our researchers.

To integrate the MRD system with our existing Research Repository, so that there are clear and obvious links between research outputs and their underlying data.

 Anticipated Outputs and Outcomes

• A pilot data management system for selected research projects, which enables integration with the existing UWE open access Research Repository
• Engagement of relevant stakeholders, including academic, library, administrative and technical staff
• Guidance for researchers to enable their data management experience to be as straightforward as possible, building on current experience with the institutional Research Repository
• Draft data management policy for the university