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.
SERSCIDA representatives from Western Balkan countries participated, with CESSDA members at the 2nd CESSDA Workshop on Trust. The Workshop took place at the GESIS in Cologne, Germany 1-2 Oct 2013.
The purpose of this Workshop was to present and discuss the Data Seal of Approval Report on GAP Analysis.
The benefit of the workshop for the SERSCIDA partners from Western Balkan countires was to get detailed knowledge on the Data Seal of Approval, its usage, processes required, documentation it requires as well as the benefits it has for creating trust among researchers to deposit their data with digital data archives and services. This knowledge will be crucial in the process of developing policies and licences for the future data services that will be established in the three Western Balkan countries.
'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.