Open Data

The objectives of "Open Research Data" are to improve access to data from research, as well as its reuse. ULiège is currently developing the tools necessary to support its researchers in this area.

T

his approach meets several expectations: the replication and validation of research results, the non-redundancy of data collection work, improving the conservation of information, the promotion of data in the academic, economic or public context, the emergence of new opportunities for collaboration.

Any initiative led in this field must take into account the complexity of defining "research data", the nature of which can vary dramatically depending on the scientific fields, as well as the balance to be found between, on the one hand, its openness, and other the other, the protection of information for the purpose of commercialisation (IPR), the respect of private and security data.

Actions led for "Open Research Data" are part of the data management procedures. As part of the European programme for financing HORIZON2020 research, the European Commission speaks of "FAIR Data Management:  Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable.” This notion covers the different aspects of the issue.

The data should be:

• findable: identified and sufficiently described via metadata and keywords, with a follow-up of the potential versions;
• accessible: downloadable in disciplinary or institutional data repositories and via known and/or shared software;
• interoperable: corresponding to use standards, with share methodologies and vocabulary;
• reusable: covered by adequate operating licenses.