CSC participating in a survey on the research data environment

14.05.2009

The Ministry of Education is setting up a national cross-functional survey project to map and coordinate better utilization of electronic data materials and resources generated with public funds. The survey will be conducted by CSC – IT Center for Science Ltd. and directed by a cross-functional steering group chaired by the Chancellor of the University of Helsinki, Ilkka Niiniluoto.

The summary report (2008) of the Finnish national-level roadmap on research infrastructures recommended that the usability of national registers and availability of data materials be improved and the costs for users be reduced, if necessary, by changing the appropriate legislation. Based on the Finnish Government’s White Paper, dated February 24, 2009, the Ministry of Education is setting up a national cross-functional survey project to map and coordinate better utilization of electronic data materials and resources created with public funds. The survey will be funded by the Ministry of Education and carried out at CSC – IT Center for Science Ltd. A start-up seminar for the project called “Research data environment”, will be held at Tieteiden talo (House of Learned Societies) in Helsinki on May 28th between 13.00 and 16.00.

The Ministry of Education is to set up a broad-based steering group for the project. The purpose of the group is to steer a national-level survey on research data environment, to form a holistic understanding of the status in Finland, and to compare it with international recommendations and arrangements in other countries. The steering group will provide suggestions and recommendations for players in the field regarding activities needed to improve the usability of research data. It will also create a national plan on how the availability and preservation of research data should be developed taking into consideration solutions relating to e-Infrastructures. The group will also create a suggestion on national-level responsibility sharing, collaboration, and coordination between different players. Ilkka Niiniluoto, Chancellor of the University of Helsinki is the chair of the steering group. CSC is represented by Pirjo-Leena Forsström. The steering group’s work is scheduled for completion by December 31, 2010.

-    In the current situation economic as well as intellectual resources must be utilized as effectively as possible. By combining the expertise within different disciplines, different research groups, and different organizations we can achieve results that it would be impossible to attain by any of these players alone. Extending the utilization of the resources benefits everyone. Currently this broader utilization is limited by technical difficulties, payment practices, or legal limitations. Easy and user-friendly accessibility of scientific contents resources, as well as their appropriate processing and storage are issues that will be addressed in the survey work, said the Minister of Education, Henna Virkkunen, explaining the intended line of action for the project at the Science Forum on May 12th.

CSC
CSC is a non-profit limited company providing versatile IT services, support and resources for academia, research institutes, and companies. The company has core competences in modeling, computing and information services. CSC provides Finland's widest selection of scientific software and databases and Finland's most powerful supercomputers that researchers can use via the Funet network.