About DataverseNO

On this page we have gathered information about DataverseNO.

What is DataverseNO?

DataverseNO (https://dataverse.no/) is a national, generalist repository for open research data. The Repository is managed by UiT The Arctic University of Norway on behalf of a national consortium consisting of the DataverseNO partner institutions. The repository supports the FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship and is CoreTrustSeal certified. All management and use of the repository is regulated through the DataverseNO Organizational Agreement. The technical infrastructure of the repository is based on the open source application Dataverse, which is developed by an international developer and user community led by Harvard University.


For institutions

Norwegian research institutions can establish a partner agreement about using DataverseNO as a institutional repository for open research data in compliance with the DataverseNO Organizational Agreement and for a start-up fee and an annual fee as specified in a annually updated price overview.  Datasets from researchers affiliated with DataverseNO partner institutions are published in institutional collections (see the DataverseNO repository structure). Institutions wishing to test out DataverseNO can get access to a sandbox.

The current DataverseNO partner institutions are listed on the DataverseNO Support page and on this map.

The repository management is responsible for training and support for collection managers at partner institutions, whereas the partner institutions are responsible for data curation and user support at their own institution.

  • Researchers at partner institutions have access to a certified repository that is managed and continuously further developed according to best practice. DataverseNO has achieved and is following up on CoreTrustSeal certification of the entire repository. CoreTrustSeal is a seal of quality for trustworthy and sustainable repositories. To meet the requirements of CoreTrustSeal, DataverseNO uses a common set of guidelines for depositors and curators across partner institutions.
  • Collection managers at partner institutions receive training and help getting started with DataverseNO.
  • Collection managers and curators at partner institutions receive continuous support in issues related to archiving and curating data. This includes guidance on building up local curation competence at the institution, but also help with larger and / or more demanding archiving projects e.g. in the form of creation and facilitation of sub-collections.
  • Curators at partner institutions have access to a national competence network of DataverseNO curators administered and coordinated by the repository management.
  • Partner institutions have access to an international competence network of repository managers and curators at Dataverse-based repositories.

For more information, please contact the repository management at support@dataverse.no.


For individual researchers

Individual researchers affiliated with Norwegian research institutions that are not partners of DataverseNO are granted up to 10 GB storage space for free. More information about how to get started with the repository is available here. If you need more storage space or more information, please contact the repository management at support@dataverse.no.


Data curation and preservation

To ensure that data deposited into DataverseNO comply with the DataverseNO policies and guidelines they are prior to publication curated by qualified Research Data Service staff (curators) at the DataverseNO partner institutions. Datasets deposited in the top-level collection are curated by data curators at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Data curators are staff members employed at the partner institutions, usually at the library of the institution. Data curators are responsible for ensuring that data published in each collection within DataverseNO (including the top-level collection) are curated according to the DataverseNO policies and guidelines, and in line with best practice recommendations and the needs of the different user communities at stake. Curators communicate with the different user communities represented in the collection(s) they curate, e.g. during curation, but also through other channels and in other venues. Curators also communicate with the management of their collection, and with curators of other collections within DataverseNO through the DataverseNO Curation Network. This network of expertise covers the different aspects of data curation, including metadata, file formats, and licensing. In addition to enabling knowledge and experience exchange, this network also makes sure that curation practices across the repository are aligned with the DataverseNO policies and guidelines, and also seeks to align curation practices across institutional collections from different partner institutions containing data from the same or similar scholarly disciplines.

Datasets in DataverseNO are equipped with persistent identifiers (so-called DOIs, Digital Object Identifiers). DOIs serve as unique references to datasets, and they make the datasets searchable in discovery services like B2FIND – EUDAT, Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (BASE), DataCite Search, Google Dataset Search, and Oria.

DataverseNO commits to long-term preservation of data published in the repository as described in the DataverseNO Preservation Policy.


Metadata harvesting

DataverseNO has waived all copyright and related or neighbouring rights to the metadata records of data published in DataverseNO, as described in the Creative Commons (CC0) Public Domain Dedication.

You can harvest DataverseNO via OAI-PMH using the following addresses:

For more information, please contact us at support@dataverse.no.


Organization of DataverseNO


The organization of DataverseNO is regulated through the DataverseNO Organizational Agreement and illustrated in the DataverseNO Organization Chart. Two of the elements in the DataverseNO organizational model are further explained below.

REPOSITORY STRUCTURE

The repository structure is outlined in this figure. Each partner institution is assigned its own institutional collection within the DataverseNO repository. Within an institutional collection, it is possible to establish sub-collections, e.g., for research centers or larger research projects. Partner institutions are responsible for the data in their institutional collection and possible sub-collections being managed in compliance with the DataverseNO Organizational Agreement.


DESIGNATED COMMUNITY


Since the DataverseNO repository provides free and open access to its collections, the Designated Community of the repository consists of both data contributors and data users. Data users include primarily researchers and research institutions, but also any other stakeholders in society reliant on access to knowledge, e.g. journalists, teachers, industry as well as the greater public. The interaction between data users and the repository happens primarily through direct contact with the contact person(s) for each dataset, and through the general contact information provided for each collection.

In a more narrow sense, the Designated Community of DataverseNO can be described as the different user groups that in addition to being data users also are data contributors to the repository. These are mainly researchers from Norwegian research institutions.

Each collection is organized and managed in a way that ensures that the needs of the user group they serve are met to the largest possible extent.

The current partner institutions carry out research within the following subject areas (as of September 2024):

  • Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (https://www.inn.no/english/research/): Agricultural Sciences; Applied Ecology; Audiovisual Media and Creative Technologies; Biotechnology; Business; Education; Film; Social Sciences; Social and Health Sciences.
  • MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society (https://mf.no/en/Research): Humanities; Religious studies; Social Sciences; Theology.
  • NTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology (https://www.ntnu.edu/research): Architecture and Design; Economics and Management; Educational Sciences; Engineering; Humanities; Information Technology; Medicine and Health Sciences; Museum; Natural Sciences; Social Sciences.
  • Nofima (https://nofima.com/research-areas/): Food Research.
  • Nord University (https://www.nord.no/en/research): Arts; Biosciences and Aquaculture; Business; Education; Health Sciences; Nursing; Social Sciences.
  • Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) (https://nibio.no/en/subjects): Biotechnology and Plant Health; Environment and Natural Resources; Food Production and Society; Forest and Forest Resources; Survey and Statistics.
  • Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) (https://www.nmbu.no/en/research): Biosciences; Biotechnology; Business; Chemistry; Economics; Environmental Sciences; Food Sciences; Landscape and Society; Natural Resource Management; Science and Technology; Veterinary Medicine.
  • OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University (https://www.oslomet.no/en/research): Art and Design; Education; Health Sciences; International Studies; Social Sciences; Technology.
  • UiT The Arctic University of Norway (https://en.uit.no/research): Biosciences; Economics; Education; Engineering Science; Fine Arts; Fisheries; Health Sciences; Humanities; Law; Museum; Social Sciences; Technology.
  • University of Agder (https://www.uia.no/english/research/): Business; Education; Engineering and Science; Fine Arts; Health Sciences; Humanities; Law; Social Sciences; Sport Sciences.
  • University of Bergen (https://www.uib.no/en/research): Fine Art, Music and Design; Humanities; Law; Mathematics; Medicine; Museum; Natural Sciences; Psychology; Social Sciences.
  • University of Oslo (https://www.uio.no/english/research/): Dentistry; Educational Sciences; Humanities; Law; Mathematics; Medicine; Museum; Natural Sciences; Social Sciences; Theology.
  • University of Stavanger (https://www.uis.no/en/research/research-at-uis): Arts; Business; Education; Health Sciences; Health Sciences; Performing Arts; Science and Technology; Social Sciences.
  • VID Specialized University (https://www.vid.no/en/research/): Health Sciences; Social Sciences; Theology.
  • Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (https://www.hvl.no/en/research/): Arts; Education; Environmental Sciences; Health; Social Sciences; Social Sciences; Sports; Technology.
  • Østfold University College (https://www.hiof.no/english/research/): Computer Science; Economics; Engineering; Health; Languages; Organisation; Teacher Education; Theatre; Welfare.

DataverseNO Curators respond to the needs of the Designated Community on the most detailed level. The curators of institutional collections are situated at the same institution as the user groups of the collection, and they communicate closely with the user groups also on other matters of research support, e.g. data management plans, Open Access publishing, grant applications, and literature search.

Members of the Designated Community may get into contact with their curator(s) in several ways, e.g. by depositing a dataset in an applicable collection, by contacting them at the address provided on the Support page of DataverseNO, by contacting them in events and meetings organized between research support services and researchers at their home institution, or by contacting them in events and meetings organized by networks like the ones mentioned above.

Members of the Designated Community may also communicate with the management of institutional collections within DataverseNO. A common use case of this type of contact is when researchers want to discuss the establishment of a sub-collection within their institutional collection. In such cases, issues of data management are thoroughly discussed between the institutional collection managers and curators, and members of the Designated Community. The DataverseNO repository management also assists such discussions.

The operation of institutional collections is part of the research support services and the institutional management at the DataverseNO partner institutions. Partner institutions have well-established venues in place where research support units, such as the University Library, discuss issues with representatives from the different research communities at the institution. Feedback from such discussions is provided to the managers of the institutional collection. On their part, managers of institutional collections discuss advice and feedback from the user groups of their institutional collections in the DataverseNO Curation Network, who gives advise to the repository management.


Further reading

The article below discusses further the organisation of DataverseNO, and how the repository supports the FAIR data principles.

Conzett, Philipp. 2020. “DataverseNO: A National, Generic Repository and Its Contribution to the Increased FAIRness of Data from the Long Tail of Research”. Ravnetrykk, no. 39: 74–113. https://doi.org/10.7557/15.5514.

Contact us at support@dataverse.no for more information about DataverseNO.

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