1. Research data must be stored in a secure manner. Research data means recordings/notes/reports in the form of numbers, texts, images, sounds etc. that are generated or created during research projects.
2. Research data must be stored for as long as they are of value to the researcher and a broader research community. The storage and sharing of research data must be in accordance with good scientific practice, applicable legislation, research ethics guidelines, institutional requirements regarding information security, requirements stipulated by the source of funding, or as stated by consent.
- Research data must not be stored on local PC hard drives, external hard drives, smartphones, external cloud storage services, etc. Here is the university college’s guide regarding how research data must be processed and stored.
3. All research projects should have a Data Management Plan (DMP). A data management plan is a document detailing how research data will be processed (storage and accessibility) both during the life of the project and after it is completed.
4. The university college will contribute to research data being openly accessible, with the exception of data that cannot or should not be made accessible due to:
- Security considerations: In cases where data accessibility may threaten individual or national security, data sets must not be made openly accessible.
- Personally sensitive data: In cases where data accessibility is in breach of applicable data protection regulations, data sets must not be made openly accessible.
- Other legal factors: In cases where data accessibility is in breach of other legal provisions, data sets must not be made openly accessible.
- Commercial factors: Data that has commercial value and is generated in projects together with a company may be exempt from the general principle regarding open access. In these cases, it is recommended that the data are made accessible after a period of time; 3 or 5 years as a suggestion.
- Other factors: In cases where data accessibility has major financial or practical consequences for those who have generated/collected the data, data sets may be exempt from the general principle of open access if a satisfactory argument is put forth for this. For example, this may apply to qualitative research data.
Approved by the acting rector, 05.06.2019