Policy Recommendations for Open Access to Research Data

In January 2015, the RECODE project published its policy recommendations for open access to research data. The policy recommendations are targeted at key stakeholders in the scholarly communication ecosystem, namely research funders, research institutions, data managers and publishers and accompanied by ten overarching recommendations. The RECODE policy recommendations are expected to assist the above stakeholders in furthering the goals of open access to research data. The recommendations aim to support the Horizon 2020 Data Pilot, complementing the work undertaken in the framework of OpenAIRE project and its services. OpenAIRE NOADs will also have the opportunity to benefit from the RECODE work in terms of the content of policies supporting the infrastructures.

The RECODE ten overarching recommendations:

1. Develop aligned and comprehensive policies for open access to research data.
2. Ensure appropriate funding for open access to research data.
3. Develop policies and initiatives that offer researchers rewards for providing open access to high quality data.
4. Identify key stakeholders and relevant networks and foster collaborative work for a sustainable ecosystem for open access to research data.
5. Plan for the long-term, sustainable curation and preservation of open access data.
6. Develop comprehensive and collaborative technical and infrastructure solutions that afford open access to and long-term preservation of high-quality research data.
7. Develop technical and scientific quality standards for research data.
8. Require the use of harmonized open licensing frameworks.
9. Systematically address legal and ethical issues arising from open access to research data.
10. Support the transition to open research data through curriculum-development and training.

[caption id="attachment_199" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Credit: Pedro Principe CC0 1.0

What is the RECODe project about?

RECODE promotes open access to research data through the elaboration of policy recommendations targeted at different stakeholders in support of the Commission’s policies that address two overarching issues identified in the mobilization of open access to research data: a lack of a coherent open data ecosystem and a lack of attention to the specificity of research practices, processes and form of data collections. The afore-mentioned issues pose important barriers to the transition towards an open access environment, despite the consensus observed amongst many policy makers on the benefits of open access for science, industry and civil society.

How does RECODE promote open access to research data?

Open access to research data has been promoted by connecting with relevant stakeholders, strengthening existing stakeholder engagement mechanisms at both European and international levels, conducting studies of good practice and exchanging good practice principles with stakeholders and institutions during networking activities. To this end, RECODE used five disciplinary case studies in open access to research data (physics, health, bioengineering, environment and archaeology) to examine four grand challenges: stakeholders’ values and ecosystems, legal and ethical concerns, infrastructure and technology challenges and institutional challenges.

View the RECODE Project website for more information on the project, its activities and contact details.