Open/FAIR Data

30Open science today encompasses more than just open access to scientific publications; it also includes making other scientific outputs accessible—primarily research data. While the ideal scenario would be to speak of open data as full open access to research data, the need to comply with legal regulations regarding sensitive data protection (e.g., GDPR), ethical principles, and the potential for commercialization of scientific outputs has led to a redefinition of open data into what is now known as FAIR data. Nevertheless, FAIR data should still be “as open as possible, as closed as necessary.”

FAIR Data

The acronym FAIR refers to four fundamental principles that research data should meet in the context of open science:

  • Findability
  • Accessibility
  • Interoperability (standardized descriptions)
  • Reusability

You can learn more about the individual principles and how FAIR data are defined, for example, here. You can also check how FAIR your data are by using this checklist (in Czech).

Data Management Plan (DMP)

In connection with the FAIRification of research data, public funders now commonly require the creation of a Data Management Plan (DMP). This is a relatively comprehensive document that must outline how research data will be handled—storage, openness, metadata, etc.—both during the project and after its completion, in compliance with all four FAIR principles. It is considered a living document, meaning that it is updated throughout the project to reflect current data management practices. It is usually submitted with the initial and subsequent interim reports, as well as the final report. Specific submission requirements can be found in the calls issued by the Czech Science Foundation (GA ČR) and the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA ČR).

A DMP can easily be written using a text editor and various available templates. One of the most widely used is the DMP template for Horizon Europe projects, whose Czech translation is available here. However, several applications and online tools can assist in creating a DMP. One of the most commonly used is DMP Online, which also offers examples of completed DMPs from various projects. At the Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE), the use of the Data Stewardship Wizard software is supported for drafting DMPs. If you would like to test and use this software for creating your data management plans, do not hesitate to contact us at oa@vse.cz.