We present our experience to implement a Current Research Information System in the Astrakhan State University, Russia. The CRIS covers research information such as publications, funding, projects, and patents. Education, training, professional activity, and expertise are also within the scope of the CRIS. The metadata of research output are stored as a single record, regardless of the number of contributors and their belonging to different divisions. Data linkage associates a research output with contributors and their departments. A faculty fills own profile and links the metadata with co-authors. The more active and responsible users employ the CRIS, the more complete and reliable is information. Some metadata are imported from external data sources, in particular from Russian Science Citation Index. CRIS can generate Statistical Reports, CV's, Publication Lists, ratings, etc. When implementing the system the main problems are not technical but organizational. The bureaucratic obstacles hinder the exchange of information between different sources. The managerial staff does not demonstrate the real interest in getting actual, complete and accurate information about the research outputs. Some of the faculty has rather little computer skills and low interest in filling the database.

1. Particular experience in design and implementation of the
CRIS in Russia: national specificity
12th International Conference of Current Research Information Systems
V.A. Zelepukhina, T.S. Danilova, A.S. Burmistrov, Yu.Yu. Tarasevich
Astrakhan State University
Rome, May 13th – 15th, 2014
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 1 / 16

2. Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Team
Viktoria Zelepukhina, Taisia Danilova, Andrey Burmistrov,
PhD,
Researcher PhD Student
Associate Professor
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 2 / 16

3. CRIS of Astrakhan State University (Russia)
Since 2011, our team makes efforts to design, implement, and put into
operation a CRIS http://science.aspu.ru in Astrakhan State University.
833 faculties are registered in the CRIS at May 1, 2014.
The CRIS contains metadata about
5657 publications,
564 patents,
93 funding,
21 contracts,
141 theses (dissertations),
175 awards
linked to Astrakhan State University.
The total amount of the metadata is slightly more because some metadata
are linked to the persons only.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 3 / 16

4. Structure of the CRIS
CRIS of the Astrakhan State University includes:
database that stores information about the participants of scientific
activity (employees and departments);
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 4 / 16

5. Structure of the CRIS
CRIS of the Astrakhan State University includes:
database that stores information about the participants of scientific
activity (employees and departments);
database that stores metadata of research outputs;
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 4 / 16

6. Structure of the CRIS
CRIS of the Astrakhan State University includes:
database that stores information about the participants of scientific
activity (employees and departments);
database that stores metadata of research outputs;
tools for analysis and identification of links between participants of
scientific activity and the research outputs;
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 4 / 16

7. Structure of the CRIS
CRIS of the Astrakhan State University includes:
database that stores information about the participants of scientific
activity (employees and departments);
database that stores metadata of research outputs;
tools for analysis and identification of links between participants of
scientific activity and the research outputs;
tools to eliminate redundancy in the database by identifying fuzzy
duplicates in the metadata of research outputs;
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 4 / 16

8. Structure of the CRIS
CRIS of the Astrakhan State University includes:
database that stores information about the participants of scientific
activity (employees and departments);
database that stores metadata of research outputs;
tools for analysis and identification of links between participants of
scientific activity and the research outputs;
tools to eliminate redundancy in the database by identifying fuzzy
duplicates in the metadata of research outputs;
tools to interacting with external sources of scientific and
scientometric information.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 4 / 16

9. Ideology
The main principle
Metadata of research output are stored as a single record, regardless of the
number of contributors (co-authors) and their belonging to different
divisions (departments or labs).
Mechanism of data linkage associates a research output with contributors
and their departments.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 5 / 16

10. Main sections
1 Publications
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 6 / 16

11. Main sections
1 Publications
2 Patents
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 6 / 16

12. Main sections
1 Publications
2 Patents
3 Funding and Contracts.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 6 / 16

13. Main sections
1 Publications
2 Patents
3 Funding and Contracts.
4 Awards.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 6 / 16

14. Main sections
1 Publications
2 Patents
3 Funding and Contracts.
4 Awards.
5 Defenses of the theses.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 6 / 16

15. Main sections
1 Publications
2 Patents
3 Funding and Contracts.
4 Awards.
5 Defenses of the theses.
6 Activities (seminars, conferences, etc.).
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 6 / 16

16. Main sections
1 Publications
2 Patents
3 Funding and Contracts.
4 Awards.
5 Defenses of the theses.
6 Activities (seminars, conferences, etc.).
7 Statistics.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 6 / 16

17. Filling information
A faculty should fill own profile with metadata of research output and link
the metadata with co-authors.
Theory — Web 2.0
The more active and responsible users employ the CRIS, the more complete
and reliable information is stored in the database.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 7 / 16

18. Filling information
A faculty should fill own profile with metadata of research output and link
the metadata with co-authors.
Theory — Web 2.0
The more active and responsible users employ the CRIS, the more complete
and reliable information is stored in the database.
Praxis — messy data
Stream of information ‘employees–database’ is very unreliable: the
information comes irregularly, incomplete and unreliable.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 7 / 16

19. Integration
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 8 / 16

20. Automatisation
CRIS is in position
to get information from dissertations in MS Word format;
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 9 / 16

21. Automatisation
CRIS is in position
to get information from dissertations in MS Word format;
to get information from local DB ’Patents’;
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 9 / 16

22. Automatisation
CRIS is in position
to get information from dissertations in MS Word format;
to get information from local DB ’Patents’;
to import records in BibTEX, RIS, and two national standards;
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 9 / 16

23. Automatisation
CRIS is in position
to get information from dissertations in MS Word format;
to get information from local DB ’Patents’;
to import records in BibTEX, RIS, and two national standards;
to check journal titles;
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 9 / 16

24. Automatisation
CRIS is in position
to get information from dissertations in MS Word format;
to get information from local DB ’Patents’;
to import records in BibTEX, RIS, and two national standards;
to check journal titles;
to inform about fuzzy doubles;
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 9 / 16

25. Automatisation
CRIS is in position
to get information from dissertations in MS Word format;
to get information from local DB ’Patents’;
to import records in BibTEX, RIS, and two national standards;
to check journal titles;
to inform about fuzzy doubles;
to import some information from CrossRef, Science Index (Russia),
Google Scholar.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 9 / 16

26. Problems
Main problems
Technical problems: Server is not very reliable because of frequent
problems with electricity.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 10 / 16

27. Problems
Main problems
Technical problems: Server is not very reliable because of frequent
problems with electricity.
Managers do not demonstrate the real interest in complete, reliable,
actual information.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 10 / 16

28. Problems
Main problems
Technical problems: Server is not very reliable because of frequent
problems with electricity.
Managers do not demonstrate the real interest in complete, reliable,
actual information.
Bureaucratic obstacles hinder to get information even from local DB’s.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 10 / 16

29. Problems
Main problems
Technical problems: Server is not very reliable because of frequent
problems with electricity.
Managers do not demonstrate the real interest in complete, reliable,
actual information.
Bureaucratic obstacles hinder to get information even from local DB’s.
Nobody read a user manual and system messages.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 10 / 16

30. Problems
Main problems
Technical problems: Server is not very reliable because of frequent
problems with electricity.
Managers do not demonstrate the real interest in complete, reliable,
actual information.
Bureaucratic obstacles hinder to get information even from local DB’s.
Nobody read a user manual and system messages.
Faculties have no incentive to fill out the information, because salary
does not depend on the research output.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 10 / 16

31. Problems
Main problems
Technical problems: Server is not very reliable because of frequent
problems with electricity.
Managers do not demonstrate the real interest in complete, reliable,
actual information.
Bureaucratic obstacles hinder to get information even from local DB’s.
Nobody read a user manual and system messages.
Faculties have no incentive to fill out the information, because salary
does not depend on the research output.
Some faculty has poor computer skills.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 10 / 16

32. Problems
Main problems
Technical problems: Server is not very reliable because of frequent
problems with electricity.
Managers do not demonstrate the real interest in complete, reliable,
actual information.
Bureaucratic obstacles hinder to get information even from local DB’s.
Nobody read a user manual and system messages.
Faculties have no incentive to fill out the information, because salary
does not depend on the research output.
Some faculty has poor computer skills.
Feedback. Someone can write ’I cannot do anything!’ but nobody
describes the problem or offers to improve interface and functionality.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 10 / 16

33. How to account citations?
1=2
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 11 / 16

34. How to account citations?
1=2
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 11 / 16

35. How to account citations?
1=2
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 11 / 16

36. How to account citations?
1=2
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 11 / 16

37. Problems of Integration with external sources
Main problems
The University has not a subscription to Web of Science. The price is
too high for a regional university.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 12 / 16

38. Problems of Integration with external sources
Main problems
The University has not a subscription to Web of Science. The price is
too high for a regional university.
Bureaucratic obstacles.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 12 / 16

39. Problems of Integration with external sources
Main problems
The University has not a subscription to Web of Science. The price is
too high for a regional university.
Bureaucratic obstacles.
Some national DB’s do not offer free API’s.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 12 / 16

40. Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Today
CRIS can generate
Statistical Reports,
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 13 / 16

41. Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Today
CRIS can generate
Statistical Reports,
CV’s,
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 13 / 16

42. Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Today
CRIS can generate
Statistical Reports,
CV’s,
Publication Lists,
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 13 / 16

43. Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Today
CRIS can generate
Statistical Reports,
CV’s,
Publication Lists,
ratings,
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 13 / 16

44. Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Today
CRIS can generate
Statistical Reports,
CV’s,
Publication Lists,
ratings,
etc.
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 13 / 16

45. Tomorrow
Perspectives
Trends of publication activity.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 14 / 16

46. Tomorrow
Perspectives
Trends of publication activity.
Trends of research activity.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 14 / 16

47. Acknowledgment
Students
Vladimir Salshin
Adam Umarov
Andrey Nefedov
Natalya Popova
Russian Foundation for Humanities
The reported study was partially supported by Russian Foundation for
Humanities, research project No. 12-03-12000 and by Russian Foundation
for Basic Research, research project No. 12-07-31145.
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 15 / 16

48. science.aspu.ru
Thank you for your attention!
Current Research Information System http://science.aspu.ru
Tarasevich et al. (ASU) CRIS in Russia: national specificity 16 / 16