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Research Data Management

Research Data Management, or RDM as you will often see it referred to, is simply managing and organizing the data that is generated as a result of your research throughout the entire research life cycle. You certainly have some form of RDM already; this g

Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy

The Tri-Agencies of Canada have recently adopted a RDM policy (April 2021). The three main pillars of the policy are a) institutional strategies; b) fundees must complete a Data Management Plan in their application; and c) fundees must deposit their data on completion.

The Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy can be read here: https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/063.nsf/eng/h_97610.html

The agencies plan to implement the policy incrementally:

  • Institutional strategies: By March 1, 2023, institutions subject to this requirement must post their RDM strategies and notify the agencies when they have done so.
  • Data management plans: By Spring 2022, the agencies will identify an initial set of funding opportunities that will be subject to the data management plan requirement.
  • Data deposit: After reviewing the institutional RDM strategies, and in line with the readiness of the Canadian research community, the agencies will phase in the deposit requirement.

The RDM policy builds upon the previous Tri-Agency Statement of Principles on Digital Data Management. 

"This statement of principles outlines the Agencies’ overarching expectations regarding research data management, and the responsibilities of researchers, research communities, research institutions and research funders in meeting these expectations... The objective... is to promote excellence in digital data management practices and data stewardship in agency-funded research. It complements and builds upon existing agency policies, and serves as a guide to assist researchers, research communities and research institutions in adhering to the agencies’ current and future research data management requirements."  (December 21, 2016)

Portage RDM Institutional Strategies Series

Additional Institutional Strategy Resources

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

"Recipients of CIHR funding are required to adhere with the following responsibilities:

  • Deposit bioinformatics, atomic, and molecular coordinate data into the appropriate public database (e.g. gene sequences deposited in GenBank) immediately upon publication of research results. Please refer to the Annex for examples of research outputs and the corresponding publicly accessible repository or database.
  • Retain original data sets for a minimum of five years after the end of the grant (or longer if other policies apply).This applies to all data, whether published or not. The grant recipient's institution and research ethics board may have additional policies and practices regarding the preservation, retention, and protection of research data that must be respected."

For more information: Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications; specifically Section 3.2: Publication related research data