A global pandemic like COVID-19 would have been suppressed much faster if research data were FAIR. Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable.
But what is FAIR data and how do we create FAIR data?
Pleas view this video that explaines it all.
ZonMw’s policy, procedures, practical guidance, and initiatives are aimed at the creation of reusable data and reuse of existing data.
ZonMw’s approach is guided by the FAIR principles to obtain data that are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable. Overall, the FAIR principles help to enhance the quality of research projects, and to accelerate innovation in health and health care.
The activities are part of ZonMw’s policy on Open Science. The international transition to open science is crucial to accomplish the right conditions for creating reusable data, and data reuse: FAIR data stewardship, recognition and reward, open access publications, and citizen science.
The information in Data management in your research project is particularly aimed at researchers (and their data stewards) who apply for or hold a grant from ZonMw. All ZonMw’s stakeholders may take interest in the emerging approaches to FAIRify data, and how they are developed in the context of the COVID-19 research programme.
In Background information, support & community building one can find stakeholders who provide (and develop) the relevant concepts, services and infrastructure.
ZonMw regards the creation of (and access to) reusable data to be essential for realising scientific and social impact of its research projects. Ideally, these data comply with – as many as possible - FAIR principles. FAIR (and therefore reusable) data may directly support the knowledge cycle (Dutch).
Moreover, the health challenges that face our society, can only be tackled with the help of innovative methods and techniques that largely depend upon computational technology and data science. These methods and techniques use large amounts of data from various sources, which are in different locations. For the optimal usage of such data they must be FAIR.
With research data and real world data that are FAIR, researchers, innovators, professionals and policy makers have a wide range of resources available for future research and innovation. They can verify research findings, and rely on improved information as input for informed decision making in health policy and practice.
Here you can read more about How data lead to better decisions.
For these reasons, ZonMw requires its grantees to FAIRify data as much as possible. In order to make this as easy as possible, ZonMw actively promotes the further development of data stewardship capacity, as well as tools, services and technology.
We facilitate that researchers have knowledge and instruments for FAIR data and data management. Our webpages are in English because Dutch researchers also work abroad and foreign researchers work on Dutch research projects.
The digital newsletter (also on paper !) E-Data & Research, issued by DANS, shows interesting examples of what one can do with data.
Read the article: Where do data stewards get their knowledge and how can the Netherlands approach this more professionally?
FAIR data are not necessarily OPEN data. Through the ‘A’ of Accessibility, one can state the conditions for sharing the data (‘restricted access’). The FAIR principles are in line with the policy of research funders like ZonMw and NWO to make research data “as open as possible, and as closed as needed”.
Open data
Together with our sponsors and clients, we are looking into possibilities for financing research into the coronavirus and COVID-19. The pandemic is having a major impact on healthcare and society.
Read more about the researchFenneke Blom (Amsterdam UMC) and colleagues brought together existing initiatives that encourage research integrity and accommodated them at The Embassy of Good Science. Anyone working to promote research integrity can now draw on these initiatives for ideas and inspiration. Fenneke looks back at her project, which was both a scientific and a personal challenge.
15 young clinicians who hold a PhD will each receive a maximum grant of 200,000 euros from the Clinical Fellows research programme to set up their first own line of scientific research. With their research projects they will also create a bridge between clinical and scientific research.
The introduction of a two-stage assessment procedure will streamline the application process for the entire Talent Scheme. In addition, the submission dates for the pre-proposals for the 2023 Talent Scheme are largely known: 14 March for the Vici and 5 September for the Veni. The deadline for the Vidi pre-proposal will fall in the last quarter of 2023.
On 28 October, ZonMw signed the European ‘Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment’. This agreement between the European Commission and Science Europe (the European research organisations) contains agreements on how research results should be assessed with the aim of improving the quality and impact of research.
EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND)
2 November 2022
13 December 2022,
12.00
Read about BeNeFIT on the ZonMw information page (in Dutch)
DoelmatigheidsOnderzoek & Goed Gebruik Geneesmiddelen
27 October 2022
7 February 2023,
14.00
