14. Research data management policy, implementation and course development at the University of Twente, The Netherlands

This poster focusses on the process of data policy development and implementation at the University of Twente and how these changes influence the content and structure of the research data management course. The University Library is active in this field for almost eight years and plays a crucial role in this whole process.

Data management and data policy at universities in the Netherlands became an issue of growing importance starting from 2012. In 2013 the Executive Board of the University asked the Library to write a data policy. Based on interviews with 15 professors from faculties and research institutes a first version has been written. To create awareness and commitment for research data policy, the Rector of the University, supported by experts from the University Library, used this concept data policy in discussion meetings with faculty professors. A second version of the university data policy was accepted by the Executive Board in July 2015.

Shortly after this the Strategic Council, consisting of the deans and scientific directors, decided to initiate the formulation of more specific faculty data policies. Two faculties have now their own data policy. On the poster we will explain how data policy is implemented in one of these faculties. In both data policy writing and implementation, support and reviewing is done by the University Library.

During the process of data policy development, the University Library developed a general course on Research Data Management embedded in the Twente Graduate School TGS. When data policy is implemented at different levels in the university, content and structure of the course will gradually change to one more integrated with discipline specific data management subjects and jointly organized with faculties and research institutes.

An important issue of a data policy is the definition of responsibilities. The shift in data management responsibility from merely the individual researcher to a shared responsibility within the research group, and even at higher levels, has consequences for the need of research data management awareness and knowledge at different levels in the research organization.