JISC

Overview

This project (BRII) will enable efficient sharing of research management information using semantic web technologies. Ontologies and taxonomies will define and describe data objects (eg people, research groups, funding agencies, publications, research ‘themes’) to forge connections between them and provide web-based services to disseminate and reuse this information in new contexts. It will create efficiencies, greater accuracy of data, and better discovery of research activities at Oxford. University data sources will include academic departments and central services. Half the project will be devoted to stakeholder input, collaboration and ‘buy-in’ aimed at evolving current work practices and processes.

Aims and objectives

Aim

To enable efficient sharing of research management data at the University of Oxford from a selection of existing data stores and to create exemplar services that disseminate and re-use that data using a lightweight solution based on semantic web technologies

Objectives

• Negotiate input, collaboration and buy-in from data providers, end-users and management
• Identify data sources and content for inclusion
• Build BRII infrastructure
• Provide RDF ontologies to define research management data
• Provide web-based applications to disseminate data
• Create University Blue Pages: an example of a web-based application
• Demonstrate embedding and future sustainability

Project methodology

The project comprises technical development coupled with advocacy to ensure stakeholder input and collaboration.

The first part will be a stakeholder analysis.

Core iterative development process. Starting with one data store, the following processes will run for each in turn:

• Stakeholder engagement, advocacy and user needs analysis
• Generate Ontology
• Generate vocabulary/taxonomy and RDF for that data source
• Develop API, content models for data and plug-in templates to harvest sources.
• Testing, piloting and implementation with each group/data source

The final section involves embedding the infrastructure and investigating methods of extending it across other departments.

Anticipated outputs and outcomes

Deliverables

• Collection of ontologies and taxonomies
• University Blue Pages of research management information
• Example use of API e.g. integrating with a themed website like Cancer
• Oxford Research Information infrastructure

Reports and Analyses

• BRII website
• Stakeholder analysis, domain maps and use cases document
• Formal progress reports & final report
• User needs analysis to be used by technical developers
• Documented details of future extension and continuation of RII
• Reports, papers, presentations, etc
• Internal and external formative and summative evaluation reports
• Service Usage Models (SUMS)

Outcomes

• Changed internal practice for sharing and re-use of research management data
• Oxford Research Information Infrastructure

Technology / Standards used

Technologies

• Semantic web technologies
• Building on existing DAMS (Digital Asset Management System)
• Ontologies and taxonomies: where possible developing and enhancing existing ontologies
• Building on the existing Fedora infrastructure
• JISC BID (Bridging the Interoperability Divide) Project will provide the technical basis for the data harvesting functions

Standards

• OAI-PMH
• RDF
• RDFS
• RDFa
• Dublin Core (Simple)
• Dublin Core Terms
• FoaF (Friend of a Friend)
• SKOS (Simple Knowledge Organisation System)
• AIISO (Academic Institution Internal Structure Ontology)
• AIISO-Roles
• Participation: The participation ontology is a simple model for describing the roles that people play within groups
• XML
• Researcher (controlled vocabulary)

Lead Institution

•  University of Oxford