Research information is structured information about projects, researchers, research outputs and their value and impact, research impact more widely, funding streams, organisations such as funders and universities, and so on. A general background is available on the JISC website[1] The intended outcome of work in this area is to bring some further coherence to data exchange activities between and within UK research stakeholders, with funding aimed at helping to reduce duplication, wasted effort and burden and to help develop effective partnerships across stakeholder groups.
- JISC InfoNet has compiled support resources relevant to research information management: http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/research.
- UKOLN offers technical support to the sector in this area: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/rim/ .
- The JISC EXRI (Exchanging Research Information) Report[2] examined various scenarios for the exchange of research information, and recommended that CERIF 2008[3] be the basis for the exchange of research information in the UK.
- This recommendation has been accepted by a cross-sector representative group, whose conclusions are summarised in a JISC Briefing Paper on Research Information Management[4].
Evidence has been compiled on the business case for the adoption of CERIF in the UK higher education sector. The conclusion of this study is that such evidence is compelling and that the case is strong[5].
A growing body of recent work has been undertaken based on CERIF. A document summarising this work is available[6]. This document is a key resource and it is strongly recommended that bidders read it closely in preparing proposals.
Note that HEFCE have stated that the Research Excellence Framework (REF) will support the ‘collect data once, use many times’ principle. Research income and research student data will be aligned as far as possible with data collected by The Higher Educational Statistics Agency (HESA). Data on research staff and outputs will be broadly similar to that collected in the RAE. HEFCE has indicated that REF submissions may be made using the CERIF format.
Projects engaging with national and international infrastructure developments are encouraged. Such projects are likely to lead to a more flexible and standards-based infrastructure that is able to support varied and evolving requirements. Such developments include (but are not limited to):
● The pilot UK name authority service Names http://names.mimas.ac.uk/. Contact Amanda Hill amanda.hill@manchester.ac.uk
● Potential development of a shared research management and administration system http://as.exeter.ac.uk/rmas/. Contact Deborah Welland D.Welland@exeter.ac.uk
● Research Council award and output systems. Contact Dale Heenan dale.heenan@esrc.ac.uk, Robert Sanderson RHS@nerc.ac.uk
Please note, that with regards to integrating research management, administrative and repository systems, bidders should read both the “Repositories: take-up and embedding” and “The Research Information Management” areas of the call document and briefing paper, and then decide which is more appropriate for their proposal to bid against.
[2] Rogers, N and Huxley, L and Ferguson, N (2010) Exchanging Research Information in the UK http://ie-repository.jisc.ac.uk/448/
[5] Bolton, S (2010) The Business Case for the Adoption of a UK Standard for Research Information Interchange http://ie-repository.jisc.ac.uk/487/
[6] Russell, R and Rogers, N. (2010) Research Information Management in the UK: CERIF and metadata alignment: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/rim/dissemination/2010/rim-cerif.pdf