UKDA

Excerpt from DPC Annual Report 2008-2009

The UK Data Archive has been involved in the evolution of the informal Data Seal of Approval (DSA) assessment process. DSA was established by a number of European institutions committed to durability in the archiving of research data. The DSA is not a formal certification, rather a series of guidelines which demonstrate best practice for organisations wishing to guarantee the durability of research data, as well as promoting goals relating to durable archiving in general. In relation to the DSA, the UK Data Archive was also represented at the European Commission sponsored ‘Digital Preservation of Scientific Information in a Trusted Environment’ workshop in Luxembourg, as part of the ongoing CESSDA-PPP project.

The UK Data Archive has also published a well-received booklet and website entitled Managing and Sharing Data: a best practice guide for researchers. The first printing of the booklet was “sold-out” within a couple of months, and a new edition is due to be published later in 2009. From a digital preservation point of view the booklet demonstrates that the research life-cycle and the digital preservation lifecycle need to be well integrated. However, it is designed to help researchers and data managers across all research disciplines and research environments make sure that research data are of the highest quality and have the greatest potential for longterm re-use. A programme of training in Data Management and Sharing was also established last year with the most popular events being those on consent, confidentiality and disclosure.

The UK Data Archive is playing a significant role in the JISC-funded Keeping Research Data Safe 2 project. This project will extend previous work on digital preservation costs for research data, including the original Keeping Research Data Safe study. Our main role to date has been to undertake a detailed review of the activity model published in the KRDS report and to carry out a detailed review of activity costs within the UK Data Archive. These cost data, along with data from other organisations, will also provide guidelines for other organisations which wish to produce their own cost profiles based on their own, often different, institutional mandates.

Minor amendments have been made to the UK Data Archive’s Preservation Policy (v.3.10) and it remains available on its website.

Work has been proceeding on the UKDA Secure Data Service. This new service will allow controlled restricted access of potentially disclosive microdata files to Approved (Or Accredited) Researchers, subject to various conditions of eligibility and purpose of use.