20th International CODATA Conference
Session: Recent Developments in Intergovernmental and National Data Policies

Access to and Preservation of Research Outputs:

A Perspective from the United Kingdom Research Councils

Mark Thorley (mrt@nerc.ac.uk)

Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), UK

This paper reviews the data management policies of the United Kingdom’s research councils (see www.rcuk.ac.uk).  It explores the drivers for data management and examines the similarities and differences across the disciplines represented by the eight councils.

The paper also reports on the position statement on access to research outputs that has recently been issued by the research councils and the discipline based positions being adopted by the individual councils in their guidance to the research communities they support (see www.rcuk.ac.uk/access/index.asp). 

Based on the perspective of the UK research councils, the paper aims to identify the generic principles which underpin the development of policies for access to and preservation of research outputs, including research data.

Keywords: Information policy, Data management policy, Open access, RCUK, NERC