FAIRVault, an interuniversity project on creating a restricted access data archive

Abstract

The FAIRVault project is an interuniversity collaboration between four Flemish universities (Ghent University, Hassel University, University of Antwerp and Vrije Universiteit Brussel) to develop a generic solution for archiving, in a FAIR-aligned way, research data for which no suitable repository exists, in particular sensitive data. The objective of the FAIRVault is to provide a secure and reliable platform for researchers from the participating institutions for archiving and making available even sensitive and confidential research data in accordance with the FAIR principles: (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable). Based on the sensitivity of the data, (that may depend on privacy considerations, legal obligations etc.), suitable measures are taken to ensure information security. The goal is to implement a trustworthy and FAIR-enabling long-term preservation solution endorsed by research communities at partner institutions, implementing best practices certified by the CoreTrustSeal. By doing so, valuable research data will not only be properly archived, but it also unlocks the potential for data sharing and effectively leading to a more efficient use of resources. It aims to fill the void for domains where no existing solution satisfies all the necessities in terms of e.g. security and the FAIR principles. The end product of this project, i.e. the actual FAIRVault, will be a platform on which a researcher can upload the research data alongside the appropriate metadata. It can be seen as (1) a packaging machine, where the archives itself are saved on local storages per university, and (2) a portal to the (meta)data, where other researchers can search datasets and download or request access – depending on the access conditions set by the creator. The metadata of a dataset is always visible to the public and remains available, even after the disposal of the dataset. The platform aims to be an addition to the existing landscape of local storage systems and metadata conventions (e.g DataCite and FRIS). Therefore, the interoperability of this system and the integration with other systems is very important. The goal of the project is to end with an operational service that can possibly be used by institutions outside the starting consortium. Throughout the development of the FAIRVault we want to keep the expectations of divers stakeholders and entities in mind: (1) researchers, who bear the responsibility of ensuring the findability and accessibility of data over the medium to long term, even beyond the project funding periods, (2) institutions, both research and government, that aim to manage data assets in compliance with regulations, policies and contractual obligation, fostering openness and minimizing costs, (3) data re-users, who seek transparent access processes, (4) the Flemish Government, that envisions stronger connections to the European Open Science Cloud, (5) FOSB/FRDN members, who seek cost effective solutions for Open Science KPI targets, (6) research funders, who prioritize ethical and legal data management aligned with the FAIR principles, (7) the European Open Science Cloud, that aims to streamline research data infrastructure through interoperability principles and standards, and (8) other research institutions, that wish to join the initiative in the future. To streamline this project, a core team was set up with representatives of each university and additional support of consultancy companies (Möbius and EY). Within this core team, we ensured the presence of different expertises, such as archiving, ICT, data stewardship, etc. to move the project in the correct direction with the proper knowledge. Additionally, a steering committee was created in which decisions are taken and/or confirmed and which also consists of representatives of each university involved. This committee bridges the gap between the day-to-day operations and the stakeholders’ interests.