Through research data management (RDM), researchers gain a structured overview of a research project’s data life cycle. This helps them to save time and resources in project delivery and communication. Further benefits include more opportunities to collaborate, higher visibility and an enhanced reputation.
Open access to research data contributes to the effectiveness, transparency and reproducibility of the scientific research process. Various actors (national strategy, Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), EU) are committed to advancing open data as a pillar of open science culture and to entrenching them in research funding guidelines. The HSLU’s stance on research data management and open research data is set out in its open science policy. Follow the link on the main open science website.
Data Stewardship HSLU
Data Stewardship signifies support for research data management. The Open Science team and the libraries at HSLU locations—namely the Central and University Library—offer services within an HSLU-wide network to assist with RDM.
Research data management information portal: information, contacts and offers on data stewardship at HSLU are summarized here.
Data management plan
Research data follow a lifecycle: after planning, collection and analysis, they are published/made available, archived and reused—for example in teaching or for new or extended research questions.
A Data Management Plan (DMP) provides a structured approach to handling research data from the initial project idea through to completion. DMPs may be individually drafted and vary in scope, but they should address data organisation and storage as well as legal and ethical considerations.
Data Stewardship at the HSLU relies on the following documents:
Open Research Data
Open Research Data (ORD) adheres to the Open Access philosophy: ensuring the freest access possible within legal, ethical and technical limits – "as open as possible, as closed as necessary." Research data is published with appropriate licensing in data repositories, following the FAIR principles. The Lucerne Open Repository (LORY) is the HSLU’s institutional repository through which documents and data can be published.
Open Data and joint research projects with industry partners
Joint research projects with industry partners are extremely important for the HSLU. Data management can be a challenge in these settings, as agreements and access modalities must be negotiated between the parties. If data is generated in the project, economic interests can make it difficult to publish it. However, even reduced access can be granted in compliance with FAIR principles. Transparency around the conditions and paths to access increase the visibility of all parties involved.
Services for HSLU employees
The libraries offer guidance and support around data management plans and data publication on the LORY or suitable specialist repository, as well as on data organisation, documentation and meta data.
Further information and services from the Open Science Team of the Central Library are available on their website.
For questions or consultation, please reach out via the contact details provided.
Further information for employees: Open Science
