The University of Manchester has established a Research Data Management service and policy to support researchers in managing their research data. The RDM service was launched in 2011 and is a collaboration between the University Library and IT Services. It aims to provide guidance, tools, and infrastructure to help researchers comply with funder data sharing requirements and best practices for data management, storage, and preservation. Key challenges for the future include developing metadata standards, tools for data sharing and publishing, coordinating expertise across departments, and adapting to a changing research environment and funder landscape.

1. Research Data Management at The
University of Manchester
Lorraine Beard
Head of Digital Technologies and Services

3. RDM Service
December
2013
UoM RDM
Policy
RDM Service
Launched
MiSS
2011‐13
Jisc funded
MaDAM
into
Sustainable
Service
MaDAM
2009 – 2010
Jisc Funded
UoM Library
IT Services
Manchester
eResearch
Centre
(MeRC)

4. RDM Policy
“For each Relevant Project, the University of
Manchester participants should nominate, in advance, a
principal investigator (Principal Investigator) for the
University, who will take responsibility for ensuring good
research data management practice.”
Manchester RDM Policy

5. RDM Governance:
Steering Group
Operations
Group
Technical
Advisory Group
User Group
IT
Services
Library
Researchers
Research
Support
Office

6. RDM Service Staff
Research Services
Manager
1 X RS
Librarian
1 x RDM Support
Analyst 12XFTE RS Team
(OA, Repository, Business
Data, Citation Analysis)

7. (Library) RDM Technical Staff
0.5 RDM Manager
1 X
Developer

9. DMP Tool (outline)
Quick and easy to
Complete
Run on
SharePoint
Helps with
information
gathering and
reporting

10. Reference number – required to
complete Research Proposal
Process

11. Support
RDM Web
Pages

12. Support
University of Manchester Library YouTube Channel

13. “Thanks so much for this
detailed and tailor made input
which has been a great
blessing. I would have
struggled with this one”
“Thanks much for this prompt
and thorough feedback” [on a
Data Management Plan]

14. RDM Data Storage
Challenges?
• Research Data Storage – 20TB quota per
user/project
• Storage options that provide access for
computational processing e.g. HPC
• IT projects currently evaluating
solutions for archiving and preservation

15. Planned Technical Development 1
Challenges?
• Tools/guidance for generating metadata
at earliest stages of data lifecycle
• Tools to enable data sharing with
external partners
• Data Catalogue – curation of research
data

16. Planned Technical Development 2
Challenges?
• Publishing – migrating existing service
onto forthcoming CRIS
• Identify which metadata formats need
to be supported at publishing stage
• Developing DataCite DOI support
framework

17. Service/Support Challenges 1
Challenges?
• Coordinating relevant expertise across
campus
• Supporting collaborative projects –
sharing and publishing

18. Service/Support Challenges 2
Challenges?
• Staff Training & Development
• Changing Landscape – funder
developments
• Future‐proofing and scaling the service

19. Technical Development Challenges 1
Challenges?
• Understanding the range and scale of
datasets generated by researchers
• Finding a generic solution for the
management of files and metadata
• Desire to utilise existing data storage facilities

20. Technical Development Challenges 2
Challenges?
• Many researchers have already found their
own solutions
• Potential overlap with other IT projects
taking place
• Capturing details about usage of external
repositories

21. Any
questions?

22. Thank You
www.manchester.ac.uk/researchdata
Lorraine Beard
Head of Digital Technologies and Services