DIE Research Data Policy

Preamble

In accordance with the Leibniz Open Science Policy^[1], the German Institute for Adult Education is dedicated to the advancement of Open Science, encompassing Open Access publishing, research data management, and the creation of Open Educational Resources.

This policy addresses research data as information obtained during or used for scientific discovery. The nature of the research question and methodology will determine the media type, format and aggregate form in which the data occurs.

Both primary data, which is collected by the researcher, and secondary data, which was collected by another source, are simultaneously the basis and the result of scientific work. Such data can be reused in its entirety or in part, provided that the underlying legal and ethical framework allows for this.

The responsible handling of such data is an integral aspect of good scientific practice and is fundamental for the traceability of research, scientific progress and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. The research conducted by the German Institute for Adult Education (DIE) adheres to the highest standards with regard to the criteria of Open Science. It is therefore replicable, robust and transparent.

The DIE endorses all initiatives aimed at further developing and implementing quality-conscious data management practices. These initiatives seek to ensure the long-term storage of data in a structured format, with free access whenever possible. This is based on the FAIR Data Principles. This policy and the principles formulated here are particularly relevant to the Guidelines on the Handling of Research Data within the Leibniz Association^[2] and the DFG Guidelines on the Handling of Research Data^[3].

Research data management covers the entire life cycle of the data, commencing with initial planning and data collection, continuing through its subsequent use and processing, and concluding with the permanent archiving or scheduled deletion of the data, and finally, its publication.

The DIE is pursuing the following objectives in the field of data management:

• to professionalise data handling and to make optimal use of it during its creation and processing,
• to ensure compliance with the Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice[4] and the replicability of the research results through long-term storage for a minimum of ten years,
• to ensure the reusability and citability of data, both internally and externally, taking into account ethical and legal requirements, as well as project-specific characteristics.

Scope of Application

The DIE research data policy is intended for all researchers affiliated with the institute. In the context of collaborative research projects with external partners and visiting researchers, it is recommended that this policy be taken into account wherever possible, or that it be used in addition to other policies. In the event of a conflict between this policy and a specific agreement with a third-party funder or external partner regarding data management, the latter shall prevail.

Principles

We therefore specify the following principles:

1.  Law, Ethics and Integrity

DIE employees adhere to the Leibniz Code for Good Research Practice[5], the Leibniz Guidelines for Good Scientific Practice[6] in the Leibniz Association, and the implementation of both through the currently valid company agreement on good scientific practice at DIE. In all data management measures, the protection of personal data, copyright and access rights, research ethics principles, and the scientific and legal interests of researchers are guaranteed. It is imperative that research data be managed correctly, completely, unaltered, and in a reliable manner, and that the integrity of the research data be guaranteed.

2.  Project Planning and Data Management Plan

In the planning of research and data collection projects, the resources required for the management of research data are explicitly taken into account and, if necessary, applied for. A standardised data management plan (DMP) is prepared for the implementation of data management before the start of each research and data collection project. The DMP defines all data management steps on a project-specific basis. These include the type and scope of the expected data, the rights to the data, the responsibilities for data maintenance, metadata maintenance, legal expertise, and so forth. The DMP ensures the systematic and, if applicable, sustainable handling of data.

3.  Responsibility

The individual appointed to lead the research project is responsible for data management and the implementation of this policy. The project leader is responsible for proposing the selection and timing of data to be archived, deleted and reutilised in accordance with the prevailing legal and ethical frameworks. This proposal must be approved by the DIE Management Council. The Management Council may, at its discretion, delegate this approval to the relevant department head.

4.  Permanent Storage

All data generated at DIE will be stored in a confidential, centralised and long-term manner in accordance with points 1 and 3 and the recommendations on good scientific practice. This implies storage on durable and secure data carriers for a minimum of 10 years from the date of publication of the project results. The permanent storage of the data will take place in the IT and information infrastructure of the DIE and will be coordinated by the DIE Research Data Officer. The DIE provides information on the type and accessibility of the data within the institutional information infrastructure.

5.  Documentation and Publication for subsequent Utilisation

In cases where data is made available to third parties for subsequent use, it is documented in accordance with established discipline-specific standards in such a way that its subsequent use is also guaranteed regardless of the person involved. In principle, access to the data should be free for scientific purposes in accordance with the legal principles set out in point 1. It is recommended that data and associated metadata be published under an open licence wherever possible. The DIE recommends the provision of data in certified repositories of discipline-specific research data centres. This ensures that the data will be findable and citable in accordance with the FAIR criteria in the long term. Furthermore, they constitute an essential element of the Institute's research information and research assessment.

6.  Central Support Structure

The Research Infrastructures Department (FIN) provides support for the management of data throughout its entire life cycle. The anticipated scope of the support services (e.g. data preparation and the creation of documentation materials) and the resources required for this are coordinated by the respective project lead with the FIN department during project planning.

The DIE's Research Data Officer serves as the primary point of contact for research data management inquiries. The officer is based in the DIE library. Advice is provided on a range of issues related to the organisation, methodology and technical aspects of research data management (e.g. in the acquisition of third-party funding for RDM, documentation or the choice of archiving and publication strategy). Should support services be required that extend beyond the scope of advisory services, the Research Data Officer will facilitate contact with the relevant personnel within the FIN department. Cooperation with affected organisational units (e.g. ombudspersons, ethics committee, data protection officer or IT) of the DIE is ensured. To achieve these objectives, the DIE library provides the Standardised Data Management Plan for Educational Research[7] as an instrument and, as a member of the German Network of Educational Research Data[8], ensures networking with relevant stakeholders in the field and the continuous further development of the topic.

Validity and Coming into Force

This research data policy was adopted on 22 May 2024 by the Management Council of the German Institute for Adult Education Leibniz Centre for Lifelong Learning e.V. and shall come into force on 22 May 2024.

This research data policy shall remain in effect for an indefinite period and shall be subject to a review every two years at the initiative of the DIE Library. In the event that such a review reveals the necessity for adaptation, the relevant stakeholders shall be consulted with a view to implementing any such adaptations.

Version 2.0, dated 22 May 2024

The PDF version of this policy is available at https://doi.org/10.58000/zn86-z755 .

Sources (Retrieved on 22.05.2024)

[1] https://www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Bilder_und_Downloads/Forschung/Open_Science/Open_Science_Policy.pdf

[2] https://www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Bilder_und_Downloads/Forschung/Open_Science/Leitlinie_Forschungsdaten_2018_EN.pdf

[3] https://www.dfg.de/resource/blob/172098/b08fcad16f1ff5ddca967f1ebde3a8c3/guidelines-research-data-data.pdf

[4] https://zenodo.org/records/6472827

[5] https://www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Bilder_und_Downloads/%C3%9Cber_uns/Gute_wissenschaftliche_Praxis/Leibniz_Code_for_Good_Research_Practice.pdf

[6] https://www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Bilder_und_Downloads/%C3%9Cber_uns/Integrit%C3%A4t/Guidelines_for_Good_Scientific_Practice_in_the_Leibniz_Association.pdf

[7] https://www.konsortswd.de/en/services/research/data-management-plans/standardized-data-management-plans/

[8] https://www.forschungsdaten-bildung.de/?la=en