Data Management Plans

Quality assured and correct data management is often facilitated by a well-thought-out data management plan (DMP). Many funders in Europe and the US require that you submit a data management plan. This currently applies to the Swedish Research Council, Horizon 2020, European Research Council (ERC) and some US-funded projects.

A data management plan is a document that collects information about data management in a research project.

The plan covers all phases of the project, from planning and collection, creation, or generation of data, to analysis, publishing and archiving.

A data management plan is a "living" document that should be kept updated throughout the project.

Key components of a DMP are:

  1. Description of data
  2. Documentation and data quality
  3. Storage and backup
  4. Legal and ethical aspects
  5. Accessibility and long-term storage
  6. Responsibility and resources
Logo for DMP Online.

DMPonline

KI employed and affiliated researchers can use DMPonline  to write a data management plan (DMP).

For instructions on how to use DMPOnline see our dedicated page.

The Swedish Research Council

As from 2019, all awarded grants from the Swedish Research Council (VR) must have a data management plan (DMP). This requirement aims to improve data management in research in general and increase access of research data according to the FAIR Principles.

KI is responsible for making sure that data management plans for VR research projects at KI are in place.

If you have been awarded a VR grant:

  • Create the data management plan for your VR project by using the custom KI VR web-based template available in DMPonline (see the manual below for instructions).
  • The template facilitates the creation of data plans and includes guidance and text suggestions.
  • When finished, select the Request feedback tab and click on the Request feedback button. A member of the Research Data Office (RDO) team will provide feedback and you will get a notification when we have looked at your plan.
  • Alternatively you can export your plan as a PDF or Word and submit it to rdo@ki.se or email us and let us know that your plan is ready and we can collect it from DMPonline.
  • RDO will go through your plan and provide feedback/help you if you have any questions.

When RDOs comments/suggestions have been addressed:

  • RDO will notify your head of department that the plan is in place.
  • The data management plan should be registered together with all other VR project documents under the same registration number.

The data management plan shall be followed up annually and amendments shall be communicated to rdo@ki.se

Swedish Research Council DMP Documents

Horizon 2020

From 2017 all H2020 projects are covered by the “Open Research Data Pilot” (ORD). This means that all H2020 projects granted from 2018 and onwards shall submit a Data Management Plan (DMP) 6 months after the project has started, at the latest.

A Data Management Plan for a H2020 project shall describe how you manage your research data during its whole life cycle. As a part in making your data FAIR your DMP should describe

  • The handling of research data during & after the end of the project
  • What data will be collected, processed and/or generated
  • Which methodology & standards will be applied
  • Whether data will be shared/made open access
  • How data will be curated & preserved (including after the end of the project).

Sensitive data – ”Opt out”

Research projects within H2020 could withdraw from making its data openly available (Open Access). It is called “opt out” and concerns data that for various reasons are sensitive or eg. confidential.

Costs

Costs associated with open access to research data, including the creation of the data management plan, can be claimed as eligible costs of any Horizon 2020 grant.

European Research Council (ERC)

The participation of beneficiaries of ERC grants to the  Horizon 2020 Pilot on Open Research Data (which demands a DMP) has been voluntary until 2021.

From 2021, the option to opt out from the ORD will not be possible and all successful applicants will need to submit a DMP within six months after the start of the grant.

The DMP should address how the data generated within the project meet the FAIR principles and provide information on:

  • Name and persistent identifier for the datasets
  • Standards and metadata used
  • Curation and preservation methodology
  • Data sharing methodology
  • Allocation of resources and data security

A template for an ERC DMP exists in Word  and also in DMPonline.

If you have been awarded an ERC grant:

  • Get help and inspiration by looking at our guiding questionsand example answers for the different sections of the ERC DMP template.
  • Create the DMP for your ERC project by using the ERC Word Template or the ERC template available in DMPonline.
  • When finished, submit the DMP to the Research Data Office (RDO) at KI: rdo@ki.se for feedback/help.
  • If you create the DMP in DMPonline, you can also email rdo@ki.se and let us know that your plan is ready in DMPonline and we can collect it from there.
  • RDO will go through your plan and provide feedback/help you if you have any questions.
  • When a final version of the DMP is ready, the DMP should be submitted to ERC and also be registered at the institution together with all other ERC project documents under the same registration number.

ERC DMP documents

Horizon Europe

All Horizon Europe applicants must submit at proposal stage a one-page statement on research data management under the methodology description, which is part of the Excellence criterion.

A detailed DMP must be submitted within 6 months after the project has started

A Data Management Plan for a Horizon project shall describe how you manage your research data during its whole life cycle. As a part in making your data FAIR your DMP should describe

  • The handling of research data during & after the end of the project
  • What data will be collected, processed and/or generated
  • Which methodology & standards will be applied
  • Whether data will be shared/made open access
  • How data will be curated & preserved (including after the end of the project).

A template for  a Horizon Europe DMP exists in Word and also in DMPonline (select European Commission as funder to reach the template).

To get inspiration and help you can give a look to a few example answers that we have prepared.

Costs

Costs associated with open access to research data, can be claimed as eligible costs of any Horizon Europe grant.

 

Horizon Europe DMP documents

Contact Research Data Office

If you have questions regarding data management plans, please contact rdo@ki.se

NV
Content reviewer:
02-03-2024