RDIM Introduction Governance and Compliance

Governance and Compliance

The Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research outlines the broad principles and responsibilities that characterise good governance and build an honest, ethical and conscientious research culture. The Australian Code is supported by a suite of eight (8) guides to assist institutions and researchers adhere to the Code.

As part of its responsibilities under the Australian Code, JCU has implemented its own Research Code and suite of supporting procedures to ensure compliance:

(JCU’s) Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research Policy (Research Code)

A breach is defined as a failure to meet the principles and responsibilities of JCU's Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research Policy (Research Code).

Breaches may include, but are not limited to:

  • falsification of research data and information;
  • fabrication of research data and information;
  • failure to notify JCU in a timely manner of a breach or instance inappropriate access to data and information held by the researcher;
  • failure to retain clear, accurate, secure and complete records of all research including research data and information;
  • failure to adhere to the conditions of any JCU policy or project-specific approvals that relate to the retention, sharing or destruction of research data and information;
  • selective retention of research data or primary materials so as to hinder the verifiability of a research output or access request;
  • failure to apply appropriate security controls to research data and information; and
  • failure to obtain necessary approvals or acting inconsistently with a condition of any approval granted in relation to the management of research data and information.

Breaches of the Research Code that relate to the management of research data and information will be managed in accordance with JCU's procedure, Managing and Investigating Potential Breaches of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research Procedure.

JCU’s Management of Data and Information in Research Procedure outlines responsibilities under the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, 2018 as they relate specifically to the governance and management of research data and information and includes:

Management of Data and Information in Research Procedure

The Custodianship Model for Research Data and Information articulates the key roles and responsibilities for the management of research (data and information) assets. Refer to the Terminology for an explanation of each role.

Effective governance requires organisational structures to be in place to ensure priorities and initiatives for research data and information are aligned and co-ordinated across the University.

The Research Data Management – Working Group (RDM-WG) is a formal governance stakeholder group that advises the Dean, Research, who then advises the Research Committee and the Digital Advisory Committee (DAC) on research data management strategies, initiatives and innovation.

The RDM-WG meets once every 6 weeks and is made up of a targeted group of JCU researchers and research staff that have direct research data responsibilities at either individual, team or college/division level.

The responsibilities of the RDM-WG are to:

  • Assist in the development and implementation of processes that further support research data across the university and the Management of Data and Information in Research Procedure;
  • Unify information from across all relevant data areas (where possible) and resolves data-related issues that have a broad impact;
  • Promote research data and research information and drive a participative, engaged, accountable and data driven culture;
  • Address issues through the Dean, for review at the Research Committee and the DAC, as well as investigate received issues from Committee(s) and provide recommendations / feedback within appropriate timeframes;
  • Explore data repository metrics and utilisation (i.e., data access, data storage size, data retention periods);
  • Advise and formulate recommendations on research data and information training and policy, guidelines and procedures;
  • Advise and make recommendations on change management activities (i.e., in relation to education, information sharing, establishing training programs and materials, mentoring and compliance and quality assurance monitoring);
  • Complete Data Governance maturity assessment and roadmap strategies to increase our research data capability maturity assessment and define timeframes;
  • Initiate stakeholder engagement with direct team/areas to assist in the development and improvement of research data management practices and communicate findings to the RDM-WG / Chair;
  • Undertake “data champion” role and advocate and promote changes in research data practices on behalf of the university;
  • Ensure a timely, effective and coordinated implementation of a research data management projects;
  • Participate in sub-working groups (where / when required) to progress the development and implementation of coordinated research data and information activities within agreed timeframes; and
  • Implement research data management practices/activities as per the recommendations and outputs of the RDM-WG.

To contact the RDM-WG please contact the Chair at researchdata@jcu.edu.au.