UCL researchers can now publish, archive and share data, code and other outputs supporting published research in UCL’s new institutional research data repository (RDR).

UCL’s new research data repository

First repository dataset published 5 June

On 5 June, UCL researchers, Library Services, ISD and Figshare staff celebrated two years’ preparation and the launch of the new university repository.  The very first upload: an mp4 laparoscopy video of Vesalius’ De humani corporis fabrica is part of an interdisciplinary Special Collections – Digitisation Suite collaboration.

Main features of the service

The UCL research data repository (RDR) service is free, open access and cloud-based with UCL single sign-on, and offers 10 year preservation in almost any file format.

Other features include embargo and integration with GitHub – and UCL Research Publications Service later this year, saving effort on REF submissions.  The institutional repository offers additional features over the commercial Figshare service: greater storage (50GB for individuals and 100GB for groups), larger file uploads (5GB), team project collaborations and metrics analysis and reporting.

The secret to a fast and painless repository experience

Testers found the repository intuitive: easy to log in, browse, and find, view and download items.  Uploading and describing an item takes minutes once the files and metadata are ready.  The trick is to prepare in advance:  good file names, a summary description, co-authors and their ORCIDs, keywords, the grant code, URLs or DOIs of linked research, and copyright licence codes.  A quick guide, detailed guide and FAQs are available on the Research Data Management webpages.

Once checked and approved (within 3 working days), each published item receives a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to make it easy to share, discover and cite.

Researchers are responsible for compliance with funder policies, intellectual property/copyright and GDPR leglisation.  Personal data is not accepted in the repository at present unless completely anonymised or pseudonymised.

The Research Data Repository service is supported jointly by:

• Library Services Research Data Management team: review of metadata records before publication​, advice and guidance across the research data lifecycle
• Research IT Services: technical issues, reporting, back-up, system integrations and development

More guidance is available on the Research Data Management Repository webpages and in the Research Data Repository FAQs.

Contact: researchdatarepository@ucl.ac.uk for questions, support, comments and feedback.

Data sharing is necessary for reproducible research,  FAIR data and major funder compliance.  The new UCL research data repository is part of the university’s investment in infrastructure to enable Open Science practice across the university.

Join the UCL reproducibility mailing list for news and updates, invitations for input and training.

Further reading

• The Role of the Data Repository in Supporting Research
• How do you deal with a problem like reproducibility?
• Choosing a repository for your software project
• Digital Preservation Coalition guide to file formats and standards
• Metadata standards by discipline (Digital Curation Centre guide)
• Better metadata could help save the world!
• Five Selfish Reasons to Work Reproducibly

UCL is set to launch its new Research Data Repository. This service enables UCL researchers to publish research datasets, make them discoverable and citable, meet funder requirements and store data long-term.  Preserving and sharing digital assets are FAIR data principles – key components of research replicability and open scholarship.

Register to join us on Wednesday 5 June 5 – 7pm and find out more about the Repository.

Institute of Education, W3.01 IOE, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL  View Map

This event, introduced by Paul Ayris (Pro-VP-UCL Library Services), will include an update on on Open Science developments at UCL, a live repository demonstration and the opportunity to ask questions.

More about the UCL Research Data Repository from the Research Data Management team:

• Research Data Repository launch blogpost
• Repository FAQs
• Research Data Management webpages

Get involved in reproducible research

• Join the UCL reproducibility mailing list for news, updates, input and training
• Join a ReproducibiliTea UCL talk
• The next talk is on 23 May, part of UCL Open Science Day

Library blogposts on open science and research reproducibility:

• Making UCL Research Reproducible
• 20 million downloads from UCL discovery (Open Access Team blogpost)