Intensive work is underway to build up the new Research Data Office. The unit is starting to take shape and much of the work from the project “Building the e-Infrastructure Unit” has been transformed into a permanent and long-term plan for how we will work with research data management in the future.
Our researchers have long asked for better support in managing research data. To provide this, our approach has involved listening to needs, coordinating the expertise available at the University and identifying areas where we can improve. The result will be a unit whose purpose is to ease researchers’ workload when it comes to the tangle of regulations and technicalities and not least the administrative burden they bear.
The Research Data Office aims to make it easier for researchers to do the right thing, and to make it easier for them to navigate common systems – so that they can spend more of their time contributing to research.
We also want it to be clear both within and outside the University what the unit actually does. Therefore, the decision was taken at the turn of the year to name the unit the Research Data Office, with the hope that the name better reflects its activities. The Research Data Office is an important investment that will also help to ensure that we fulfil the requirements of funding bodies and partners.
This work is in full swing. Several sub-projects have already delivered and achieved important objectives. In addition to the data stewards now being in place in the faculties, there is also extended and coordinated online support, a university-wide support group, and a significantly simplified process for the registration of research documents.
The empty shell that the unit has been until now is starting to fill up with expertise and important resources. The unit has a director, Sven Lidin, who was previously dean of the Faculty of Science. Sven is known for his solid research background, his many leadership roles and his large network of contacts. This makes him ideally suited to the position of director. He also has an impressive t-shirt collection!
Sven has several competent employees in his team and at the time of writing, more recruitment is underway to bring more expertise to the unit. Emilie Stroh has done a marvellous job as the main project manager over the past year. She remains in the unit as deputy director, responsible for coordination with the faculties.
I am absolutely convinced that, with this rigging, we will be at the forefront of research data management both nationally and internationally. But to succeed all the way, we need to work well together and face these complex and challenging issues arm in arm!
/Viktor Öwall, pro vice-chancellor
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