Doing ESRC data better

Lead Research Organisation: University of Dundee
Department Name: Leverhulme Research Ctr for Forensic Sci

Abstract

Combining three project stages and a mixed methods approach, we will conduct a robust review of the current ESRC policy and research, policy and legal landscape, solicit views from interested parties and construct an evidence base on which to make informed recommendations for an updated ESRC data policy for implementation. The project team is led by Professor Angela Daly, international expert in data governance and protection and recent Chair of the Independent Expert Group on Unlocking the Value of Data to the Scottish Government. The team brings interdisciplinary research, knowledge exchange and practitioner expertise across ESRC disciplines and data infrastructures to reviewing the current ESRC data policy and recommending updates to it in light of stakeholder feedback and views that we will seek through a comprehensive consultation process involving a survey and focus groups/interviews. We will also ensure that best practice in social science research data policies from international examples are identified and inform our work, to produce an updated ESRC data policy that is fit-for-purpose, easily implementable and future-proofed. The recommendations for an updated policy will be in line with the highest legal, ethical and best practice standards in the UK and internationally, and cohere with wider UKRI data policies and those of other relevant organisations in the UK and internationally. We will also suggest reasonable and feasible resources needed to implement the updated policy in practice.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description As a result of the work funded in the award, we conducted thorough and expansive stakeholder engagement which has produced a robust body of evidence on which we have based recommendations for reform of the ESRC's research data policy.
We are on course to meeting the award's objectives which will be fully met once we finalise our final report - this is underway at the moment.

Our key findings are a series of recommendations primarily for the ESRC and UKRI to change certain aspects of the ESRC's research data policy and its implementation, along with certain associated actions. The ESRC plans to devise a response and implementation plans for our recommendations during summer 2024.
Exploitation Route Our outcomes are intended to be taken forward and put to use by the ESRC and UKRI.
Other UKRI funding bodies may also find the outcomes informative for their own data policies and practices.
The outcomes may also be informative for funding bodies outside of the UK.
Sectors Communities and Social Services/Policy

Education

Government

Democracy and Justice

 
Description Presentation at IDCC conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presentation to International Data Curation Conference, comprising an audience mainly of practitioners.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://dcc.ac.uk/events/idcc24
 
Description Presentation at knowledge exchange conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Academics, practitioners and members of the general public attended this talk at a knowledge exchange event which was hybrid and reached online participants based in North America, Europe and Africa, which sparked questions and discussions and has led to new collaborations.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.scottishinsight.ac.uk/Programmes/ScotlandinEurope/PublicSectorData.aspx
 
Description Presentation to Data Protection Scholars Network 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Presentation to international group of data protection scholars and practitioners about data protection related aspects of ESRC data policy review, which sparked questions afterwards.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://dataprotectionscholars.network/post/dpd2024-programme/