UK Research Data Service Feasibility Study Update for SCONUL

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UK Research Data Service Feasibility Study
Update for SCONUL

• Jean Sykes
• London School of Economics

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The potential

• Because digital data are so easily shared and
  replicated and so recombinable, they present
  tremendous reuse opportunities, accelerating
  investigations already under way and taking
  advantage of past investments in science.
• Clifford Lynch, Executive Director of CNI, Big
  data How do your data grow? Nature 4 September
  2008

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The project

• HEFCE Shared Services programme
• JISC also contributed funding
• Joint initiative from RUGIT and RLUK (formerly
  CURL)
• Fully supported by SCONUL and UCISA
• Governance provided by Steering Committee and
  Project Management Board
• Over 40 stakeholder bodies identified

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Whats the issue?

• Whole data lifecycle, not just storage
• Creation, selection, ingestion, storage,
  metadata, retrieval, preservation
• Access, analyse, synthesise, reuse data
• Link with the published output
• It is the management of the data that needs a
  UK-wide approach

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Aims of the feasibility study

• Develop an understanding of the UKs current and
  future research data management needs
• Identify gaps in current services
• Test the feasibility of a UK-wide coordinated
  approach to the management of research data
  against fragmented approach
• Avoid reinventing the wheel in any proposed
  solution

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Methodology case studies

• Four case study universities Bristol, Leeds,
  Leicester, Oxford (April to June 2008)
• Questionnaires and focus groups at first three
• Complementary internal project at Oxford
  dovetailing with UKRDS
• Total number of individuals consulted 700

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What did we learn?

• Over 360 growth in data volume expected over the
  next 3 years
• c. 50 of data estimated to have a useful life of
  up to 10 years
• 26 seen as having indefinite retention value
• Most research data is currently held locally

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What did we learn?

• 21 use a national or international facility
• Most share data within research teams
• 18 share data via a data centre
• 43 believe that their research could be improved
  by access to a wider range of data
• Those with no access to a national facility are
  particularly keen on a UKRDS

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Methodology desk research

• Ongoing throughout the project
• Finding out what services already exist in UK
• Speaking to key service providers
• Following initiatives in other countries, notably
  USA, Canada, Australia, Europe
• Keeping track of rapidly developing area

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What are we learning?

• National data centres in the UK with considerable
  skills and resources which could be spread
• DCC Life Cycle Model provides a useful standard
  for data management
• Data management plans (e.g. Wellcomes)
• JISCs IIE and JANET provide the infrastructure
• JISC and RIN studies (eg data handling skills,
  preservation costs) provide context

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UKRDS as hub/broker

• HEIs
• Research Institutes
• Researchers
• IT Directors
• Librarians
• Archivists
• other experts

Public sector users generators of data
Services covering data management advice, DCC
lifecycle adoption and guidance, training in
DMPs, tools / discovery development, and
accession planning
Provision of conditional data set access
Commercial users generators of data
Service providers
Other educational institutions
Coordinate capacity planning and help address
implications for long-term storage and
infrastructure investment
Vendors
Engage as appropriate to maximise exploitation of
financial support for long-term data management
capabilities
Engage as appropriate to maximise exploitation of
vendor support for long-term data management
capabilities
Ensure provision of accession and access
procedures
Facilitate provision of persistent citation links
Venture Capitalists
International links
Journal and data publishers
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Are we in step?

• US model, distributed and NSF-funded 5 large
  Datanets (consortia of universities) to build
  data stewardship capabilities 100m over 5
  years
• Australian model, centralised and top-down from
  government ANDS (Australian National Data
  Service) with AUS 24m over 3 years
• Similar national initiatives in Canada (Research
  Data Canada) and Germany

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The next steps

• Seek interim HEFCE/JISC funding in 2009 for a
  2-year Pathfinder service in co-operation with
  case study institutions and some existing
  providers
• The Pathfinder will create a mini-UKRDS which
  will bring lasting benefits
• Hold an international conference on 26 February
  2009 to promote the proposed service and
  highlight developments in the UK and abroad

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Key messages

• The study addresses the sustainability of what
  researchers need
• It is not just about storage
• It is about the management of the whole data
  lifecycle
• There is a business case to be made and a UKRDS
  is feasible

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Key messages

• Many building blocks are already in place
• A UKRDS would embrace rather than replace
  existing facilities, providing a framework
• There are also significant gaps to be filled
• It is about the leverage of more research value
  and a higher global research profile for the UK