Research Data Management

Essential Links

• Digital Curation Centre
• Funders' Data Policies
• Grampian Data Safe Haven
• Information Commissioner's Office
• Joint Information Systems Committee

Data management impacts anybody engaged in the handling of information or data, on both a professional and personal level. Good practice ensures that these information and data are stored and backed up securely, can be located easily whenever they are required by the user and are preserved for the historical record.

Management of research data in particular is important for the dissemination of knowledge and the advancement of science and academia; this is reflected in the open access agenda advanced by the UK Government, funding councils, and institutions such as the Royal Society and the Finch Group.

Management of data of all types has become increasingly digital and this presents challenges different to those associated with traditional paper-based methods. Unlike paper-based formats data storage is not stable – technologies become obsolete and media such as CDs or DVDs become unreadable over time, rendering the data contained on them useless.

Due to the pace of technological change there is a heightened risk associated with keeping electronic as opposed to paper-based records, thus presenting an increasingly urgent need to manage these records effectively to ensure they are not rendered obsolete alongside the technology that supports them.

This page provides information on the development of a new Research Data Management (RDM) policy and plan at the University and provide signposting for further information about research data management and related topics such as Freedom of Information, Data Protection and anonymising personal data.

Key reports are highlighted under the "Useful Resources" tab for reference. Links to funders' data management requirements are also provided.

Contact

Lorna Maguire, Records Manager.