From CESSDA to European Research Infrastructure Developments in cross-European data sharing

A short history… 1970s - CESSDA was founded European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) identified the need for better access to data for SSH: CESSDA identified as a SSH infrastructure 2007 – UKDA co-ordinates bid for FP7 funding 2008 – 2.7 million euro award to establish the ERI

What is CESSDA? It is an informal group of 20 European organisations Its members are differentially funded They share diverse collections of data with researchers In 2007, they jointly held over datasets Members have a common mission…

CESSDA mission Provide better, enhanced knowledge of and access to wider range of social science data –Improve researcher/learner experience –Enable quality research / training Maximise stakeholder investment Enhance transfer of skills, knowledge

CESSDA membership - current Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Romania Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland UK Austria Denmark Czech Republic Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland

CESSDA – potential new members Slovakia Ukraine Israel Canada USA Australia South Africa Belarus Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Latvia Lithuania Poland Portugal Russia Serbia

The CESSDA ERI Legal entity Governance Structure Central co-ordinating body Contractual SLAs Sustainable funding

Fully integrated data infrastructure Integrated resource discovery tools –Multilingual searching Integrated common Authentication & Access –Single sign-on –Single access protocols Extensible system –nationally & internationally

ERI – centre of excellence Certification/auditing Professionalisation –Training –Knowledge Transfer –Mobility Standards development Middleware tools

Functions of the centre - 1 Providing a unified portal/gateway for resource discovery, data access and delivery Providing common access/authentication protocols Development and maintenance of persistent identifiers Training/Professionalisation Production of guides to Good Practice Standards development (both procedural & data management) Development and maintenance of quality data collections (central and virtual) through the identification of gaps/needs and brokering data access agreements

Functions of the centre - 2 Development and maintenance of data harmonisation tools Development and maintenance of discovery and delivery tools Development and maintenance of operational/ingest tools Promotion of data sharing/outreach Widening/expansion of the data infrastructure Providing a lobbying and representative role, with central funders and other key stakeholders

Progress in data sharing Discussions with: –European funding agencies, to support national archives and promote data sharing –Eurostat and National Statistical Institutes about better access to official data, including confidential data –DG Research in support of a their policy for sharing EU funded SSH research data and related outputs – CESSDA may provide a dissemination support service

For more information about CESSDA: & about the ERI project:

CESSDA membership - current Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Romania Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland UK Austria Denmark Czech Republic Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland