Maximize the accessibility of research results and data in the fight against COVID-19 with Open Research Data.
Access to research data is a key prerequisite for good science and successful technological development. However, the number of existing data silos, whether open or closed, inhibits this access to research data. While data silos store little data on their own, the value of these data repositories comes from being able to connect, aggregate, integrate, mine and reuse information from within many of these silos.
In the age of Big Data, the accumulation of unwanted data silos and isolated data storage should be avoided, as this severely limits the ability to exploit the full potential of research data and to perform comprehensive data analysis.
The pandemic shows how essential it is to foster an environment of opennes and sharing to exploit the full potential of data. The European Commission has established MANIFESTO to maximize the accessibility of research results in the fight against COVID-19. RSA FG signed this MANIFESTO to support them with the expertise of the Research Studio Data Science.
The goal must be to be able to use data for social health, justice and prosperity. Thus, research data must be transparently accessible. Open Research Data comprises data that are the basis of scientific research results and are not restricted in their accessibility.
Dr. Petr Knoth, Director of the Research Studio Data Science, says:
“Open Research Data are an essential component of the research environment. Open Research Data enable others to validate, scrutinise, reproduce and build on the results of others. Open Research Data should become the default option for all publicly funded research. Additionally, funders should support the development of technologies enabling the aggregation, integration and utilisation of data from across repositories as this hast he potential to accelerate work in a wide range of research areas.“