Funding, News and Announcements

Updated March 24, 2021

Message forwarded on behalf of Dr. Alice Aiken, Vice President Research & Innovation

Last week the Tri-Agencies announced the launch of the Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy. The policy promotes sound digital data management and data stewardship practices, including practices aligned with Indigenous data sovereignty. It also supports Canadian research integrity and cybersecurity by promoting best practices for safeguarding research.

The Tri-Agencies plan to implement the policy incrementally, as determined through ongoing engagement with the research community and other stakeholders, and in step with the continuing development of research data practices and capacity in Canada and internationally. Milestones in the implementation of the strategy will include the following:

• Data management plans (DMPs): By spring 2022, the Tri-Agencies will identify an initial set of funding opportunities subject to the DMP requirement. The agencies will pilot the DMP requirement in targeted funding opportunities before this date.
• Institutional strategies: By March 1, 2023, research institutions subject to this requirement must post their RDM strategies and notify the agencies when they have been completed.
• Data deposit: After reviewing universities’ institutional strategies, and in line with the readiness of the Canadian research community, the agencies will phase in the Policy’s data deposit requirement.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Policy and associated requirements for institutions and researchers are now available online, along with links to resources.

Dalhousie Libraries, under the leadership of Donna Bourne Tyson, has been preparing for the release of this Policy since 2012, and is in full compliance with it. Libraries personnel will begin offering information sessions to our researchers in the coming weeks; for now, however, please see these links to our own RDM Strategy and related resources available to our research community:

• Dalhousie’s Research Data Management Strategy
• Description of Libraries’ RDM Services
• Dal Libraries RDM LibGuide

For more information, please contact our Dean of Libraries, Donna Bourne Tyson (donna.bourne-tyson@dal.ca).

With best wishes,

Alice