Institutional Engagements

What is an Institutional Engagement?

An Institutional Engagement allows the DCC to provide intensive, tailored support to increase research data management capability.

We will work closely with 18 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) between Summer 2011 and Spring 2013, providing a range of support and services. Each engagement will be tailored to the specific needs and priorities of the institution.

Why is the Digital Curation Centre undertaking Institutional Engagements?

The engagement programme aims to increase data management capabilities and develop a suite of tools and best practice that can be implemented by other institutions.

The DCC has been funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), through its Universities Modernisation Fund (UMF), to undertake this work.

What can the DCC do to help?

The DCC’s role is to support institutions in their path to good research data management. From the outset we will help institutions to initiate change activities that win the support of senior management and aid in the development of a business case for research data management.

Once an engagement is started a range of tools and resources is made available to help an institution develop strategies and services that meet its research data management challenges. They can be combined in different ways to enhance the growth of capabilities and capacity with respect to an institution’s particular needs and ambition.

The key areas in which the DCC can work with institutions are:

Understanding current data practices

Many institutions are unsure of the data their researchers are creating and how this data is stored and managed. The DCC can help assess data assets and practices through processes involving the documentation of current research activities, looking at what data is held and its condition, analyzing costs and considering workflows. Different approaches can be taken, including the use of:

CARDIO – A tool which can be used at research group or department level to assess current capabilities to support research data management, and contribute to an institution-wide agenda for change.
Data Asset Framework – A structured mechanism to identify what data exists, its condition and format, who claims responsibility for it and what long-term custody issues it presents.

Redesigning data support services

It is likely that the assessment process will identify skill and capability gaps as well as highlight potential risks and opportunities.

With a better understanding of its data processes an institution may want to redesign its data support services. The DCC can help with the creation of workflow diagrams, allowing institutions to break down complex processes into specific activities and clarify responsibility for these activities. Support can also be given with risk assessment, for example through use of:

The Digital Repository Audit Method Based on Risk Assessment (DRAMBORA) - A tool which guides repository managers through the process of evaluating and managing risks that threaten data or the infrastructures that they rely upon. Its use promotes institutional risk awareness and helps to highlight problems and prepare for their resolution.

The DCC can also help institutions identify the costs of developing research data management services and in the establishment of pricing structures..

Policy development

Many Research Councils now require that institutions develop policies and plans for research data management as a condition of research funding. Find out more about Funder Policies.

The DCC will advise and support you in the creation of data management policy and, using its customizable data management planning templates and guidance, can work with you to develop an institution-specific instance of the DCC’s DMP Online tool.

Training

Institutions often have pockets of knowledge in the area of research data management but knowledge and techniques rarely cross departments, disciplines or service areas. Most would like to build a more coherent body of expertise and the DCC can provide support with training aimed at different levels and different roles (such as researchers, Phd students, information staff, etc.). DCC Training is offered in the use of numerous tools and in the acquisition of more generic skills, such as data quality assessment.

Outcomes from the Institutional Engagements

Sharing what is learned from the Institutional Engagements is a vital part of this whole undertaking and over the next year we will be publishing reports, case studies, blogs, best practice guides and more here on the DCC website. To keep up to date with what is happening check back regularly, sign up for our e-newsletter or subscribe to our Twitter feed @digitalcuration