A new digital solution is on the way to AU researchers – a system that will make it easier to manage research data throughout the research process.

2021.09.08 | Malene Hjulmand Bundgaard

Photo: Unsplash.com

AU rolls out a digital solution where researchers can store data. The solution will make it easier for researchers to meet the increasing requirements for research data management. Among other things, these requirements arose due to Open Science and the increasing digitalisation of research data. 

Research data is currently stored in different ways, and several researchers have sought a secure system that can be used for all types of data, including sensitive personal data. AU’s new digital solution, which is expected to be rolled out at the start of 2022, can be used to store, share, analyse and archive all types of research data. 

Brian Vinter, a member of the Research Committee and vice-dean at TECH, is one of the initiators of the digital data storage solution. He calls it an important step towards better conditions for good research data management at AU.

"The new systems will make it easier for researchers to meet the demands of funders, public sector authorities and collaboration partners with regard to storing and sharing research data securely and efficiently. AU researchers will be able to store data in a single sytstem that complies with laws and regulations", he says and adds:

"The ambition is for AU researchers, researchers from other universities, the business community and the public to get more out of the research data generated at AU," he says.

AU’s solution backed up by a new national strategy

The need for proper research data management is supported by a new national strategy for data management, which was recently announced by Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science. The strategy stems from the EU’s Open Science policy that calls for European universities to share data with other researchers and the global community in general. Among other things, the strategy points to the need for a technical infrastructure similar to the infrastructure that AU will soon be able to offer all researchers at the university. Researchers will receive more information on how to use the solution in practice once it is ready. 

The strategy also points to the need for a support infrastructure to provide researchers with assistance with data management during all phases of the research process. In this context, note that there are several initiatives underway at Aarhus University to help researchers carry out good research data management throughout the research process. Among other things, the plan is to offer competency development in the area and to regularly expand AU’s website, https://au.dk/researchdatamanagement, with useful information about research data management.

FACTS

What is research data management?

Research data management is the organisation and maintenance of data created during the research process, including sharing and archiving data once the research project is complete. Research data management takes place throughout the entire research process. Click the link for more information https://au.dk/researchdatamanagement.    

What is Open Science?

Open Science is a movement within the scientific community that emphasises transparency in all phases of scientific research, from the collection of empirical data to the publication of results. Read more at https://library.au.dk/en/researchers/open-science/browse