FAIR Research Data
ETH Zurich expects researchers to share data and key materials underlying a publication according to the external page FAIR Data principles, which aim to improve the Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reusability of research data. FAIR publication of research data is supported wherever possible. Opening research data for everyone is the ideal to aim for - the practice of making Research Data publicly available while always respecting legal and ethical framework conditions (“as open as possible, as closed as necessary”). Managing research data according to the FAIR principles is expected to bring a number of benefits, for example more effective research processes through reuse of data, improved transparency, better reproducibility of results as well as promotion of collaboration and knowledge sharing.
ETH Zurich supports its researchers with FAIR research data management. The management of research data is regulated in the Guidelines for Research Data Management at ETH Zurich. The Scientific IT Services provide a software solution, services and consulting for FAIR data management. The ETH Library is responsible for running the institutional FAIR data repository Research Collection. The Research Data Website is maintained by Scientific IT Services as well as the ETH Library and provides in-depth information on research data management as well as relevant tools, resources and trainings.
FAIR and Open Research Data (ORD) support and policies
Support for researchers at ETH Zurich
Research Data infrastructure and services
ETH Zurich provides its researchers with basic infrastructure, information and services that facilitate FAIR practices at every step of the data lifecycle:
- Training and consulting for writing a Data Management Plan (DMP) (for details see here)
- Redundant storage infrastructure featuring different storage classes and tailored to various user needs (for details see IT Service Catalog).
- A professional platform for version control of source code files and collaborative code management (for details see here).
- Development and support of professional RDM in line with the FAIR data principles (for details see here).
- ETH Research Collection as a general-purpose repository for publication of research data
- DOI registration desk for persistent identification of digital objects
Training and consulting
Biannual RDM workshop series with topics covering introduction to RDM, DMPs, active RDM, data publication, reproducibility and citizen science
Annual RDM Summer School for early-stage researchers covering aspects of RDM and FAIR Data
Regular trainings on using the openBIS software for professional RDM
Courses and trainings are announced on the respective websites of the ETH Library and Scientific IT Services. Individual courses for groups of five people or more can also be arranged upon request.
Relevant guidelines at ETH Zurich
- The external page FAIR Data principles aim to improve the Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reusability of research data and have been widely adopted by the research community.
- The ETH Zurich guidelines on scientific integrity define rules for appropriate handling of research data and materials in a research project. In particular, researchers are expected to manage data on which the results of a publication are based according to the FAIR principles (Art. 10.2).
- The guidelines for Research Data Management at ETH Zurich regulate detailed aspects of research data management (RDM), such as data management planning, storage, annotation and backup, data publication as well as long-term preservation. In line with the principle of “as open as possible, as closed as necessary”, the guidelines also list valid reasons for not sharing research data. (see this Download slide set (PDF, 2 MB) for an overview on the RDM Guidelines, the development of research data management at ETH and the support services and data infrastructures available to researchers.)
- Funding agencies stipulate regulations for management and publication of research data acquired in funded projects. Grant and fellowship holders must always fully comply with the relevant funders’ regulations. See, for example, the external page Horizon Europe.
- ETH Zurich is involved in a number of initiatives to further promote ORD in Switzerland. In 2020, the members of the ETH Domain have adopted a joint external page action plan have been adopted jointly by swissuniversities, the ETH Domain, SNSF and the Academies of Arts and Sciences in 2021.
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