Support for Establishment of National/Regional Social Sciences Data Archives
SERSCIDA is designed as a strategic project for supporting the cooperation and exchange of knowledge between the EU countries associated within the Council of European Social Sciences Data Archives (CESSDA) and the Western Balkan Countries (WBC) in the field of social science data archiving. The project addresses the issues of potentials of usage of information-communication technologies for the benefits of scientific research and exchange of knowledge as laid down in the call for proposals topic. The project aims to produce tangible results and improve the capacities for exchange of knowledge and data collected through research in social sciences between the European countries and WBC involved.
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Work package 2
Mapping the existing potentials aims to analyze the existing potentials for establishing social science data archives in the WB countries involved, at the same time trying to impact the extension of current activities of CESSDA institutions to other countries. At the very beginning, sound methodology and guidelines for analysis will be developed which is thoroughly adapted to the WB countries involved. Detailed analyses of existing potentials for establishment of data archives will be developed for each of the WB countries involved. WP2 will achieve its principal milestone when analyses are delivered addressing particularly each WB country involved and providing recommendations for making use of existing potentials for data archiving.
Work package 3
Policy dialogue and conference on establishment of social science digital data archives in the region deals with another issue laid down in this call for proposals targeting the creation of new initiatives on access to and dissemination of scientific information. In order to address this issue, a series of meetings with policy and decision makers, as well as conference will be organized in order to ensure the support of policy level and exchange knowledge and information on existing practices in EU countries and transfer the knowledge to WB countries involved on the necessity of preserving the scientific data in digital data archives and sharing it through the network of European data archives – CESSDA. The conference will gather at least 150 different participants (ministries, universities, researchers, research institutions, and statistical offices, possible financing institutions from WB countries involved, and also CESSDA institutions). The key milestone of WP3 is the successful organization of the conference indicated in the conference report that will be used as a tool and guide for further processes in establishment of social science data archives in the region.
Work package 4
The objective of extending current activities such as those of CESSDA institutions to other countries and contribute to capacity building for development of new initiatives in data archiving in WB countries is addressed by our Work package 4 - Building capacities for establishment of social science digital data archives. We consider capacity building approach to be of utmost importance for enhancement and reinforcement of strategies and structures for access to and preservation and dissemination of scientific information. Thus, we will organize working visits to CESSDA institutions and trainings on setting-up digital data archives and running the digital data archives in social sciences for selected stakeholders from the three WB countries involved. Total of 15 persons – selected stakeholders from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia (5 from each country) will go on working visits to 4 CESSDA partner institutions: UEssex – UKDA in Essex (United Kingdom), UL – ADP in Ljubljana (Slovenia), FORS in Laussanne (Switzerland) and UGOT – SNDS in Gothenburg (Sweden). The total of 15 persons – selected stakeholders from the three WB countries involved (5 from each country) will participate at trainings that will be organized at UEssex – UKDA in Essex (United Kingdom).The key result of WP4 will be successful improvement of capacities in the WB countries involved to deal with establishment and running of digital data archives. The improvement of initiatives on access to and dissemination of scientific information, as well as extension of current activities to WB countries is addressed in WP5.
Work package 5
Establishment of prototype social sciencedigital data archives. It envisages creation of prototype digital data archives as a basis for further concrete activities on establishment of social science data archives in the WBC. The decision on whether to have national digital data archives in each WB country or rather a regional one will be made on the basis of analyses of potentials for establishment of social sciences data archives in the three countries involved, as well as conference discussion and round tables that will be organized during the WP3. The decision on data archives will also take into consideration the source and availability of funds having in mind the high costs related to establishment and functioning of archives. The prototype archives will be directly derived from the CESSDAPPP and CESSDA-ERIC projects and are considered as transfer of existing knowledge and activities to WB countries involved.
Work package 6
Dissemination supports the dissemination of information between EU countries and WB countries regarding access to scientific information, preservation, and dissemination policies and practices. It encompasses the establishment of a website that will be continuously updated by an editorial system, production and publishing of information, plus organization of a dissemination conference addressing the future steps in regard to the establishment of social science data archives in WB countries and joining CESSDA, thus enabling the widening of the European network for access to and preservation and dissemination of scientific data in social sciences.
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Framework programme
Partners
- FORS Swiss Foundation for Research in Social Sciences (CH)
- Institute of Economic Sciences Belgrade (SR)
- HRC Sarajevo University of Sarajevo, Human Rights Centre (BiH)
- University of Essex, United Kingdom Data Archives (UK)
- University of Gothenburg, Swedish National Data Service (SE)
- University of Ljubljana, Social Science Data Archive (SI)
- University of Zagreb Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HR)
Open Access
'Open Access' refers to the practice of granting free Internet access to research publications and data. As all research and innovation builds on earlier achievements, an efficient system for broad dissemination of and access to research publications and raw data can accelerate scientific progress. The OECD Declaration of 2008 states "that open access to, and unrestricted use of data promotes scientific progress and facilitates the training of researchers," as well as maximizing "the value derived from public investments in data collection efforts." SERSCIDA will address the need for improved and open access to and dissemination of primary data collected through research in social sciences while at the same time trying to support reinforcement of the existing national strategies and structures, and to contribute to development of new ones.