Successful start

Since October 2017, applicants for project funding have had to include a data management plan in their application. What information do data management plans provide?

Aysim Yılmaz: In the data management plan, applicants describe how they administer, secure and publish their project data.

How do you feel about the results achieved so far?

We are very satisfied with the way things are going. The majority of applicants have submitted a plan, in most cases one that has been thought through in order to meet requirements.

A successful start in other words.

Yes, even though there have understandably been some questions regarding implementation: how do I manage my data? How much time will it take me? In which archive should I make the data available?

And have you been able to answer all the questions so far?

No. For example, the next few years will show which archives are recommendable for individual disciplines. This is a question that is best answered by the researchers themselves. The SNSF and the researchers will share their experiences, so we can think of it as a joint learning curve.

Have you heard any critical voices?

Some researchers only see the additional work, but not the advantages. In a few cases, the principle of open data as such has been criticised. These people fear that it might have a damaging effect on their research. But on the whole, the feedback has been positive. Most researchers felt that the requirement made sense and that the SNSF was right in forging ahead in this area.

What financial support do the researchers receive for data management?

We pay up to 10,000 francs per project, or even more on request. This amount fully covers the costs of editing and archiving the data.

Aysim Yılmaz is responsible for open research data at the SNSF. She is head of the Biology and Medicine division.