APLA 2019

Research Data Management (RDM) is becoming an increasingly important issue for post-secondary institutions. The Tri-Agencies (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) are expected to release a new policy that will stipulate that institutions have an institutional strategy for dealing with research data. Part of the responsibility will lie with researchers and the management of their research data.

Three Atlantic universities are aiming to discover how researchers are storing, using and sharing their data through administering a survey using an instrument that has been used at many Canadian universities. Surveys will be administered in Winter 2019. Data from the surveys will be analyzed separately by each institution and may be combined to identify commonalities and possibilities for collaboration in the region.

The results of these surveys will help librarians, IT specialists, data managers, and others interested in data management to understand current practices and attitudes. The results will also be used to contribute of the development of RDM services and resources across Atlantic post-secondary institutions with the aim of being prepared for the Tri-Agency policy once it comes into effect.