1. UK funding councils: Data retention and access policies The following table outlines the policies of the main UK funding councils with regards to data retention and future reuse and access. It is only intended as a summary and grant applicants should always consult the web pages and documentation of the Council they are applying to for further detail and clarification. Content correct April 2011. Research Council Length of time data to be kept for Starting fromWhereFull policy Publications repositoryData Centre/Service AHRC3 years3 months after project completion (to ADS) Not provided. Researchers expected to utilise institutional or subject-based repositories Archaeology grant holders to deposit in ADS. For other subjects none provided; expected to draw on other data centres http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/Funding Opportunities/Documents/Rese arch%20Funding%20Guide.pdf BBSRC10 yearsAt or close to journal publication, or 3 years after project completion Support through UK PubMed Central Not provided but Council supports the European Bioinformatics Institute http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/web/FI LES/Policies/data-sharing- policy.pdf EPSRC‘An appropriate time’Not stated. In most cases a journal article summarising results is sufficient without providing access to original datasets Not provided. Researchers expected to utilise institutional or subject-based repositories Not provided – responsibility falls to institution. The Council supports the European Bioinformatics Institute No data policy to date ESRCNot stated3 months after project completion Social Sciences Repository Data preserved by the UKDA http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images /Research_Data_Policy_2010_t cm8-4595.pdf MRC10 yearsASAP and within 6 months of journal publication Support through UK PubMed Central Not provided but Council supports the European Bioinformatics Institute http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Ourrese arch/Ethicsresearchguidance/D atasharinginitiative/Policy/inde x.htm

2. Research Council Length of time data to be kept for Starting fromWhereFull policy Publications repositoryData Centre/Service NERCNot statedAfter a ‘reasonable period’ of exclusive use NORA (NERC Open Research Archive) Expected to deposit in network of seven data centres http://www.nerc.ac.uk/r esearch/sites/data/ http://www.nerc.ac.uk/researc h/sites/data/policy2011.asp STFCNot stated E-Publication Archive http://epubs.stfc.ac.uk/i ndex Several subject data centres in place. Deposit not mandated No data policy to date Wellcome Trust 10 yearsOn publicationSupport through UK PubMed Central Not provided, but the Council supports the European Bioinformatics Institute http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Ab out-us/Policy/Policy-and- position- statements/WTX035043.htm UK funding councils: Data retention and access policies The Digital Curation Centre has a summary of the main UK research funders’ polices, noting the various stipulations each has including requirements to share data. More detailed descriptions of each policy are also available. http://www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/policy-and-legal/overview-funders-data-policies Further guidance Source: http://www.dcc.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/reports/DCC_Curation_Policies_Report.pdf