New alliances for research and teaching support: establishing the Göttingen eResearch Alliance

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the design and implementation of policies, digital infrastructures and hands-on support for eResearch at the University of Göttingen. Core elements of this activity are to provide support for research data management to researchers of all disciplines and to coordinate on-campus activities. These activities are actively aligned with disciplinary, national and international policies and e-infrastructures. Design/methodology/approach – The process of setting up and implementing an institutional data policy and its necessary communications and workflows are described and analysed. A first assessment of service development and uptake is provided in the area of embedded research data support. Findings – A coordination unit for eResearch brings together knowledge about methods and tools that are otherwise scattered across disciplinary units. This provides a framework for policy implementation and improves the quality of institutional research environments. Practical implications – The study provides information about an institutional implementation strategy for infrastructure and services related to research data. The lessons learned allow insights into current challenges and work ahead. Originality/value – With a cross-cutting, “horizontal” approach, in the Göttingen eResearch Alliance, two research-orientated infrastructure providers, a library and an IT service, combine their services and expertise to develop an eResearch service and support portfolio for the Göttingen Campus.

Research data management systems and the organization of universities and research institutes: A systematic literature review

“…Cox and Verbaan (2018) confirmed this perspective and explained that pilot services could be useful “to prove the nature of need” (p. 96). Furthermore, Schmidt and Dierkes (2015) as well as van Zeeland and Ringersma (2017) emphasized the importance to incorporate users for the development of policies and guidelines because these documents must correspond to various needs of the research disciplines. In addition, the studies revealed that besides the institutional policy also the funder as well as the journal data policy influence the behavior of scientists (Briney et al, 2017; Higman and Pinfield, 2015).…”

Towards an Open Science Definition as a Political and Legal Framework: Sharing and Dissemination af Research Outputs

“…Other examples to show University Open Science evolutions correspond to the Göttingen eResearch Alliance and the central role of the Vilnius University Library. The Göttingen University institutional data management policy was published in 2014, and then the eResearch Alliance was established to serve research projects and provide direct support to researchers, combining library and IT services and expertise (Schmidt & Dierkes, 2015). The Vilnius University Senate approved the Regulations of Open Access to the University Scientific Works and the Results of Scientific Research prepared by the Vilnius University Library in 2009.…”

Open Science Support as a Portfolio of Services and Projects: From Awareness to Engagement

“…The multidisciplinary eRA team assists researchers in e-research and data management questions throughout the whole research life cycle, offering support, consultation and training. The eRA is an integral part in the proposal submission process and, in close cooperation with the research office, provides valuable support for applicants to ensure high quality, good practices and alignment with the university's data management policy [20]. Through this process, communication between researchers and eRA is established early on, which is then maintained throughout the course of the research project.…”