Research data management

At IOCB, we emphasize the importance of making research results widely accessible and reusable and adhere to the principle of "as open as possible, as closed as necessary." This approach enhances the quality of research, fosters collaboration, and increases impact, benefiting both the research community and individual researchers. We recognize research data as integral to the research process. We have therefore adopted a strategy that aims to ensure that data management practices adhere to the FAIR principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reuse of digital assets) and promote research quality and integrity.

Research data will be managed to the highest standard throughout the data lifecycle and research staff will make every reasonable effort to manage their research data in line with FAIR principles. No part of the data lifecycle must infringe intellectual property rights, general data protection regulation, ethical regulations, or Cybersecurity Act, and must follow all relevant legal, institutional, and contractual requirements.

Based on the IOCB data policy, these are the basic principles that guide us at the institute:

• It is the responsibility of the research staff to store all relevant research data securely to prevent unauthorized access and accidental or intentional data loss.
• Standardized metadata and format should be stored in a trusted repository. If no limitations are imposed, the metadata should describe the scope of data, its purpose, author and date, type, software used, and access limitations.
• It is the responsibility of the core facilities' research staff that manage the instruments to supply relevant metadata to the service users. The research staff should understand metadata standards unique to their academic discipline.
• An agreement covering data protection must be written if research data containing sensitive information are imported to or exported from IOCB.
• Research staff are strongly encouraged to create and regularly update a data management plan for their projects, even though their grant projects may not require it, to deliver complete and accurate data.
• Research staff are accountable for ensuring data are obtained in an ethical manner.

• All published data must be stored on at least two independent storage mediums, for instance, on a physical device and a network cloud, in distant physical locations for a recommended minimum length of ten years from its official publication or longer depending on the project-specific requirements. In the event of a contractual obligation to delete any data earlier, such information must be provided in the updated research data management plan.
• Published research data should be assigned persistent identifiers in a searchable source if applicable.

Research data should be made available for access and reuse as widely as feasible, by the principle “as open as possible, as closed as necessary”.

These are the principles to guide the researchers:

• Research data are to be shared along with metadata to provide sufficient information on their provenance and to increase their findability and reusability.
• Metadata of shared data should include references, via persistent identifiers unless unfeasible, to other related outputs and entities.
• Research data should be shared preferentially using persistent identifiers to allow for their trackability.
• Where appropriate, publishing research should include a data availability statement that outlines how the underlying data may be accessed (e.g., a license).
• An appropriate license to identify conditions for data reuse should be assigned in line with intellectual property rights and potential statutory and contractual obligations. It is recommended to use open licenses such as Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY).
• During any kind of collaboration, it is necessary that research staff care for and adequately contractually ensure intellectual data protection. The contract shall be prepared by IOCB Tech at the request of the responsible person.
• Research data should be shared via a trusted repository or a suitable platform that is established within the research field.

The institute has a central role in providing the right conditions for researchers to manage their research data in line with its data policy. Specifically, the institute is responsible for:

• Providing relevant research staff with adequate and up-to-date on-demand training on research data management
• Ensuring this policy is reviewed and updated if such a need arises
• Providing infrastructure and services, including ethical support, to ensure that all research staff can comply with the requirements for data management
• Seeking new avenues for advancing data management at the institute
• Appointing a data steward maintaining data control in data governance and master data management initiatives

IOCB scientific groups vary in applied standards and methodology. However, good scientific practice is required to be the aim of all. The group leaders ensure:

• They are familiar with and follow the IOCB data policy and promote conditions in their team fostering good data management
• All team members know the data management policy and put it into practice
• They report a serious violation of rules on data acquisition, storage, or sharing to the Ethics Commission
  
• They are aware of the data steward role and support the positive development in the avenue of data management at IOCB by communicating ideas and suggestions
• They get involved in the decision-making process on enhancing research data management at IOCB

It is important that every member of the group, including students involved in research at IOCB, is involved in proper data management. It is therefore essential that all researchers:

• They are familiar with and follow the IOCB data policy and obey their group’s unique data management rules, and the data management plan governing the project they work on
• Report a serious violation of rules on data acquisition, storage, or sharing to the Ethics Commission and, when possible, their group leaders.