1. Research data management activity in Leeds

2. Why Research Data Management?
Funder requirements
Enable reuse
Research integrity
Research impact
Linking data and publication
Making data citable
Maximising value

3. Research Data Steering and Working Groups
Terms of Reference and membership online
EPSRC data management significant driver for RDSG (pre-dates RoaDMaP project)
RDSG Chaired by PVC Research and Innovation
RDWG Chaired by ProDean Research PVAC (Performance, Visual Arts and Communication)
Multi-stakeholder membership within both RDSG/WG
Research data management has a good level of senior buy-in.
EPSRC was a significant driver for the creation of the Research Data Steering Group but there had already been a good deal of research data management activity at the institution (see next slide) and RDM is an area strongly supported by the current PVC for Research and Innovation.
Overall ‘ownership’ of the proposed RDM service is still being debated at the institutional level but it looks like it will sit with the Research and Innovation Service with key elements delivered by Central IT and the Library Service.
The Research Data Management Policy arose from the Research Data Steering Group but longer term ownership and the responsibility for review is with the Research and Innovation Board.

4. RoaDMaP Project JISC Funded Project in the
Research Data Management Programme
Jan 2012-June 2013
Institutional Infrastructure strand
Reports to RDSG and RDWG
Case studies in Music, Sociology and Engineering
The original bid was largely a collaboration between the Library and two Faculty IT staff. Previous involvement with the UKRDS feasibility study and the Leeds Building Capacity project helped identify interested individuals at the institution and potential areas for the RoaDMaP project to concentrate on. A summary of the evolution of the RDM policy, including its origins in earlier work, is online at
The project is working in detail with case studies at different phases of a project lifecycle: pre-award (Music), live award (Engineering), post-award (Music, Timescapes (Sociology data).
The case study projects will, for example, trial the DMPOnline tool, provide test data to run through any pilot research data management systems, trial training materials or courses.

5. Main developments to date
University Research Data Management Policy
‘Holding’ RDM website at
Research data survey
launched July, emphasis on breadth rather than depth
format, size, growth, location, how much needs to be kept, metadata, dmp
Testing DMPOnline – ESRC, AHRC, others
Completed virtualised storage testing (F5)
Training Working Group – trial 2 hour training session for PhD students, Autumn
The data audit survey is about capacity planning rather than more in depth research data management practice.
It is likely additional candidates for in-depth interview (beyond our case studies) will be identified through the survey.
We are in the process of negotiating when research data management information from our ‘holding web site’ will migrate to the Research and Innovation site (the Research and Innovation Site is being redeveloped and is due to launch in a few days’ time)
The virtualised storage software should allow for much smarter use of our existing storage and potentially cloud storage.
Assessing training resources has proved somewhat more challenging than expected (this might be worth exploring).

6. Other Developments
Trialling DataFlow RDM architecture from Oxford (DataStage and DataBank) – sample data Engineering
In the process of extending testing to Eprints
Talked about metadata but not too many decisions!
Brainstorming group – minimum aim=core metadata for data catalogue
White Rose colleagues will be invited
Shared data catalogue one suggestion from the White Rose research data event in May 2012 (York)
Possibilities for collaboration (White Rose N8?)
We have installed the most up to date versions of DataStage and DataBank to test functionality.
To mitigate the risk of trialling a single repository system – and because there is some logic to building on what we already have in place – we are extending testing to include EPrints.
We are about to send invitations for a metadata group.

7. Audit of Activity
Survey of research staff within the University to understand
Current understanding of RDM
Types of data collected
Current practice in storage
Practice with RDM