Data research infrastructure landscape: A review of the UK data research infrastructure

During August and September 2021, interviewees and workshop participants, including members of the public, were invited to discuss their unmet needs related to digital research infrastructure in the broad areas of creation, maintenance and access; especially in the context of TREs. The rationale for this review of the UK digital research infrastructure is to establish the foundation of an extensive and evolving dialogue with the UK research and innovation community as part of Phase 1 of the DARE UK programme.

The scope of this review was intentionally broad to ensure that the DARE UK programme establishes a fundamental understanding of the context and overarching challenges within the UK research and innovation ecosystem, to inform how best the programme should address those challenges that fall within the DARE UK remit. Six key themes of unmet needs were identified: 1) Data and discoverability, 2) Access and accreditation, 3) Digital research infrastructure, 4) Capability and capacity, 5) Demonstrating trustworthiness, 6) Funding and incentives.

There was a total of 60 interviews (79 individuals) and two workshops (c.50 participants in each) with representation across the research and innovation spectrum as well as members of the public. There was widespread support for the DARE UK programme and its ambitions amongst interviewees and workshop participants, especially in the context of a more federated ecosystem that could address new cross disciplinary research use cases. There is a clear need for a coordinated, cohesive effort supported by sustained funding to better enable the research and innovation ecosystem in the UK. DARE UK has an opportunity to play a key role in contributing to this effort, particularly around sensitive data.