Readiness and responsibility for managing research data: institutional perspectives

Abstract

EResearch is more than a buzzword. The creation of a special term to represent new and different approaches to research in the digital environment has implications for the provision of the infrastructure to support it. There are three players in this arena: the researchers themselves, the administrators who have overall responsibility for developing and managing infrastructure, and the government as the primary funder of Australian universities. APSR has recently surveyed select senior university administrators (Deputy-Vice- Chancellors, Research, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Information and University Librarians or their equivalent) seeking their views on this changing landscape. This paper looks at their responses as they contemplate what eResearch means for their universities and their institutional readiness and capability to respond. It also looks at the development of institutional repositories in this environment and the challenges which they face.