JISC

This project is a coordinated action between representatives of the four Knowledge Exchange Partners (United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark).

The aim of this project is to increase the operational interoperability of metadata used in CRIS (Current Research Information Systems) and OAR (Open Access Repository) systems by definition of a metadata exchange format and a common vocabulary that can be used by both platforms.

Added value Knowledge Exchange (KE) could support

Interoperability between OAR is an international issue (for example addressed by the EU project DRIVER) – likewise interoperability between CRIS is an international issue (for example addressed by euroCRIS). This reflects the international nature of the research results and activities these systems document. The data level interoperability between CRIS and OAR is also best addressed in international cooperation and the KE is an ideal instrument to efficiently pilot solutions – which may then be picked up and taken further in wider international contexts.

Benefit to the partner organisations

At the moment there is no international consensus, nor an existing international exchange format between CRIS and OAR platforms. All KE partners and all other interested parties, like universities all over Europe and EU projects like DRIVER, will benefit from a metadata exchange format because it will:

• make metadata input more efficient
• avoid or reduce duplicated inputs of the same metadata on different platforms
• increase metadata quality, reliability and reusability
• increase service levels of services based on these metadata
• reduce costs of metadata handling and exchange

This project, originally due to end in September 2009, has been extended until January 2010.