This post makes an interesting addition to earlier posts regarding our UK HEI Research Data Management survey and the benefits of being part of the JISCMRD programme.
We looked at the survey results and DCC engagement institutions to see whether there was any evidence to suggest that institutions with RDM services in place received DCC support.
An initial mapping of data from the survey against data on institutions receiving DCC support revealed similar numbers had a research data management policy. Thirty-eight percent (9 out of 15) receiving DCC support had a research data policy compared with 39% (15 out of 38) of all respondents. However, un-supported institutions, those not supported by the DCC s or not part of the JISCMRD programme were less likely to have a research data management policy (20% [3 out of 15]).
Research Data Policy
Similarly, 15% (2 out of 13) of those receiving DCC support had a research data service in place, but this proportion falls to 7% (1 out 15) for un-supported institutions.
Research Data Service
Thus support, whether through funded projects, DCC support or a mixture of both has a significant impact in policy development. This applies even when such development is not a condition of funding; only MRD-funded projects had such a requirement.
It’s worth noting some overlaps between JISCMRD and DCC support. A few of the institutions in our survey had a bit of both. More generally DCC helped facilitate JISCMRD workshops and have a continuing brief to promote its lessons across other institutions.
If these organizations have a data management/preservation policy and are willing to share this with colleagues, I would like to encourage them to publish it on http://wiki.opf-labs.org/display/SP/Published+Preservation+Policies, an initiative of the European project SCAPE
A useful suggestion I think, though the SCAPE list looks very broad. Digital Curation Centre also has a list that’s specifically for higher education institutions’ policies on Research Data Management – its at http://www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/policy-and-legal/institutional-data-policies/uk-institutional-data-policies
RDM policies usually include preservation in their scope, but many university libraries will also want to have a distinct preservation policy and include data in it.