Description
The responsible handling of research data is vital for fostering scientific progress, disseminating knowledge, and ensuring the traceability of research. The digital transformation of research and society presents new challenges, necessitating central guidelines within research institutions and communities.
To address these challenges, the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (MfN) developed a comprehensive and adaptable catalogue of measures, including recommendations, procedural instructions, and various documentation forms. This catalogue is designed to be maintained and regularly updated to reflect the state of the art. The resulting data policy fills a gap in formal guidance on research and scientific data publication at the MfN.
Developing this policy required input from multiple stakeholders and consideration of all aspects of Research Data Management (RDM), including governance, storage, access, and adherence to FAIR principles. The final policy provides a framework that spans the entire data life cycle, ensuring sustainable and transparent data management.
From this, we share our process, and reflect on key learnings from the policy’s development and publication, offering insights that can guide other research institutions and RDM teams in successfully creating and implementing their own data policies.
