Open access to research data benefits both research and our knowledge-intensive society. Through open access, the results of research can be validated and and built on, which is important for the development of research. Open access to research data can also contribute to raising the quality of research, promoting utilisation of research, and increasing trust in research.
The national goal is for transition to open access to research data to be fully implemented no later than 2026. To achieve this, open access must become an integrated part of the research process, and be included in procedures, processes, and policy documents at the organisations involved.
The Swedish Research Council’s vision, guiding principles, and recommendations form the basis for a coordinated transition, and can be used as support in the strategic work.
The Swedish Research Council’s vision
- Research data that is produced by publicly funded research should be made accessible according to the principle: “as open as possible, as closed as necessary”.
- Open access to research data is part of the transition to an open science system.
- Assessment of the opportunities to make data openly accessible is a natural part of the research process.
- A long-term national coordinating organisation promotes and supports open access to and the usability of research data.
- Research infrastructures support open access to research data.
- Fully developed incentive systems that support the transition to open access to research data have been established.
Guiding principles for open access to research data
Access to research data should not be restricted when there is no reason for this, and restrictions on use should not be created when they are not necessary.
An assessment of the opportunities for open access should be made an integral part of the research process and when planning the data management. In the first instance, this involves assessing whether and when open access to research data via internet can be created. This includes deciding whether there are circumstances that prevent publishing. This can, for example, be that the data is confidential, or that publication would entail not permitted management of personal data.
In other cases, there may be assessments based on other factors, such as practical or technical aspects, or available resources.
Strategic, supportive and technical measures to ensure the principles for open access to research data can be complied with should be established at organisational level, and be part of the strategic direction and of concrete processes and procedures. On implementation, it should also be considered whether there are common established, technical solutions or infrastructures that can be used for this purpose.
Organisations that perform or fund research should design and implement incentive systems that promote open access to research data.
Open access to research data needs to be included in a coordinated way in the strategic documents and processes of the organisations in question, and should be adopted at top management level. Researchers should be offered the necessary support to enable practical implementation.
The research data that are made openly accessible and information that is needed for their use, such as documentation on software, shall be managed and documented in such a way that they become as usable as possible, and easy to find and understand.To promote the usability of research data that is made openly accessible, the data management should follow the FAIR principles. Fulfilment of the principle needs to be weighed against the input required, the use potential of the data, and the preconditions that exist for achieving them.
Recommended initiatives
The report describes the initiatives needed to achieve a full transition to open access to FAIR research data. The report compiles the Swedish Research Council’s recommendations for
- open access to research data
- marking and licences when making research data openly accessible
- criteria for FAIR data management
- data management plans.
The recommendations are primarily aimed at the managements of research performing bodies and research funding bodies. They can also be used by other actors to increase the understanding and knowledge of what the transition to open access to research data entails, and how it is achieved.
The Swedish Research Council’s recommendations for research data: FAIR and open access
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