Research Data @NTNU: Enabling One Stop Research Support

How do we enable sharing and reuse of research output while at the same time ensuring information security, GDPR, research ethics and knowledge security? What infrastructure, digital tools and competencies do researchers and students need to conduct safe, efficient and FAIR research? What are possible challenges to efficient research support and how can they be overcome? The support service Research Data @NTNU was set up to be a central contact point for all questions related to research data, coordinated by the University Library in close collaboration with the NTNU IT Division. The goal was to provide comprehensive support and advice on a broad variety of issues and topics in research data and open science by combining different expertise and disciplines. Many research projects need advice from different types of expertise in both planning and execution, and Research Data @NTNU aimed to make research support more efficient and streamlined. Today, Research Data @NTNU also involves close collaboration with legal advisors, as well as the institutional Data Protection Officer and research advisors at the faculty and department level. The service provides support and advice ranging from formal agreements on data sharing and GDPR, data flow and information security, to practical user guidance related to tools and software. The support service also contributes to other services and infrastructure, ensuring a good understanding of both the needs and practices of the users in addition to the technical setup and possibilities. Research Data @NTNU also provides courses and training for researchers and students as well as networks and competency building for support staff. Research Data @NTNU has been able to detect shortcomings in institutional services and infrastructure and take measures to remedy these, including participation in projects developing new tools and services. Collaboration across institutional divisions has been essential to build competency and understanding, enabling high level support on complex topics in research projects. At the same time, the proximity to researchers and students has been crucial to detect and understand the issues at stake. Several members of the team have PhDs and/or research background, which enables translation between researchers and support staff. Furthermore, a willingness to listen and learn from others has proved to be valuable. By reaching out to potential collaborators without claiming ownership to topics and fields (such as data privacy and information security) has contributed to strengthening the role of the library as an academic enabler as well as contributing to a more holistic and interdisciplinary approach to research support.