NEW University Research Data Management Policy

The University has published a new Research Data Management (RDM) Policy.  

The RDM Policy outlines the key expectations for researchers in relation to the management and preservation of research data and research related records created at the University, and clarifies the responsibilities of researchers and the institution in relation to good research data management and support. 

The policy promotes best practice in research data management by setting out 11 key expectations to aid researchers in ensuring that research data and research related records are managed and preserved in a manner that: 

• maximises the transparency, integrity, quality, and reproducibility of scholarly research; 
• ensures the long-term accessibility and reusability of research data and software.  

This policy supersedes the existing policy, and now includes guidance on:  

• the University’s key expectations in relation to the management, preservation, and retention of research data and software; 
• the preservation of research data in line with the FAIR and CARE principles;
• the preservation of research related records created by a researcher;  
• the preservation of websites created in the course of research;  
• valid exceptions to open data expectations; 
• metadata records for published datasets;  
• Data Access Statements (to reflect the new UKRI Open Access Policy [2022]). 

The new policy is aligned with the University’s commitment to open research and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the University’s Code of Research Good Practice and the updated Information Security Policy. The policy meets external funder expectations, particularly in relation to UKRI’s commitment to making publicly funded research data as open as possible.

The policy was approved by Academic Council on 7 December 2022 and came into effect 8 December 2022.

Further information

You can find the new RDM Policy online on our research data webpages. 

If you have any questions, or for further information, please contact the Research Data Management Officer at research-data@westminster.ac.uk