Research Data
In Germany alone, the costs associated with obtaining research data as the basis for scientific knowledge - whether in sociology, medicine, remote sensing or high-energy physics - is in the order of magnitude of several billion Euros each year. Even after a relatively short phase of scientific evaluation by individual researchers or small groups, much of this data is forgotten and/or allowed to deteriorate. All scientific institutions and organisations therefore see an urgent need for action in order to ensure the systematic backup, archiving and provisioning of scientific data for subsequent (re-)use by third parties.
The development of archiving and access strategies for research data is, admittedly, in varied stages and is of varying urgency in the different disciplines. This must be taken into account when it comes to applying the measures described in this Priority Area.
The Alliance partners aim to establish structures to enable the collection, archiving and subsequent reuse of research data in all applicable disciplines in which these are not yet available - whether to make scientific findings verifiable in order to promote Good Scientific Practice, or to make them available for subsequent reuse in the context of different research questions or disciplines. The key element in this process, the conditio sine qua non for its success, is the close cooperation between the scientists and the information providers.
The activities of the Alliance Initiative are directed to following areas:
Initially, the partners had to develop a common data policy in order to promote both the need for action and to demonstrate the usefulness of research data infrastructures for scientists, scholars and institutions. The "Principles for the Handling of Research Data" were adopted by the Alliance of German Science Organisations on 24. June 2010.
Furthermore, the partners wish to foster cooperation between scientists and information specialists and to offer funding for pilot projects. Such projects should develop subject-specific standards and methods of data curation and archiving; they should also define the division of labour required in the process. These steps have the overall goal of establishing a reliable system of digital archives for research data, and to ensure that these remain accessible internationally and their data reusable in various interdisciplinary contexts.
Essential issues as initial investment and long term funding, as well as legal questions need to be documented and discussed. Best practice examples and implemented incentive systems shall be deployed to further convince scientists of the benefits of data sharing.
Eventually, the ultimate aim is to establish a system of discipline specific, internationally networked data repositories for research data. However, this task can and should only be tackled when sufficient experience has been acquired from the funding and evaluation of pilot projects. This is to ensure that the new structures respond to the requirements of the individual subject disciplines and are embraced by them.
The partners within the Alliance of German Science Organisations agree to coordinate their funding programmes in the area of research data and, when necessary, to merge or harmonise them. They also agree in due time to examine the possibility of establishing common infrastructures for research data.
