Project background information
Name of the Operational Programme: Operational Programme Jan Amos Komenský
Call title and number: Open Science I, 02_23_014
Project name: National Repository Platform for Research Data
Project registration number: CZ.02.01.01/00/23_014/0008787
Recipient: CESNET
Project implementation period: 1 January 2024 – 31 December 2028
The National Repository Platform for Research Data project is key to the effective management, long-term preservation and sharing of scientific data in the Czech Republic, thus promoting open access and collaboration in the scientific community.
Project Annotation
The National Repository Platform for Research Data (NRP) project responds to the need to support the implementation of the EOSC initiative in the Czech Republic by creating and piloting a key component of the National Data Infrastructure (NDI), defined in the document "Architecture of EOSC Implementation in the Czech Republic". The aim of the project is to consolidate the fragmented research data environment, to provide scientists with the necessary tools and facilities for data management according to the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles, and to ensure sufficient storage capacity and reliable repositories. The project also includes developing and implementing an integrated solution for data management planning, technical and methodological support, and creating coordinated educational support, which will significantly contribute to improving the quality of research data management and increase the competitiveness of Czech science at the international level.
Project Objective
The aim of the National Repository Platform for Research Data project is to design, implement and pilot the National Repository Platform and related key services, provide training for users, data experts and other staff of research organizations, and create a cybersecurity background, including full compliance with relevant regulations and providing methodological and operational support to users of the platform.
Key Activities of the Project
Key Activity 1 (KA1) Project Management
Project management ensures effective administration and coordination of the project, drawing on the experience of partner organizations in implementing similar projects and remote cooperation tools. The project's organizational structure includes a Project Steering Committee (PSC), composed of partners' representatives, which monitors the implementation progress and decides on major project management issues. Operational management is carried out by the Chief Project Manager (CPM) in collaboration with the Project and Finance Manager and the Administrative Officer. The HMP is responsible for project implementation, effective use of funds, monitoring and risk management, and communication with the donor and control authorities. The Project Executive Committee (PEC), composed of the key activity leaders and the Project Manager, meets regularly to address issues and coordinate the project's technical activities.
Key Activity 2 (KA2) Development and operation of the National Repository Platform
The objective of Key Activity 2 is to build and operate the National Repository Platform (NRP), which includes all its layers from hardware to operating systems, data storage to repository software systems such as CESNET Invenio, CLARIN DSpace and ASEP ARL. The activity focuses on the efficient management, development and operation of these systems, provides advanced user support and produces technical documentation. The outputs of KA2 serve repository administrators, users of test and demonstration repositories, and development groups. Development in this activity includes software package innovation and new features to support services defined in other key activities, contributing to the robustness and flexibility of the repository platform in line with the needs of user communities and research projects.
Key Activity 3 (KA3) Pilot repositories
The pilot repositories have two main objectives: to create a catch-all repository for storing data and datasets for which there is no suitable dedicated repository and to get direct feedback from early user groups of the National Repository Platform (NRP). This activity will ensure interaction with the actual infrastructure and service managers, as well as concerning cybersecurity and user aspects. KA3 staff will test the infrastructure in its early stages of development, and their feedback will be directed toward stabilizing and finalizing the NRP processes. The pilot repositories are selected based on the support of user communities that are independent of the NRP project and have a long-term stable operation. This mutually beneficial partnership will provide direct access to the groups developing the platform's features, allowing for effective influence on the platform's development priorities. The pilot repository in KA3.5 also includes transferring the entire new Islandora repository system to the NRP environment.
Klíčová aktivita 4 (KA4) Integrace služeb NRP
The objective of the NRP Services Integration is to implement and provide the data repository services required by the scientific community, including tools for data and metadata access control, metadata handling and licensing. The activity includes the management of metadata profiles, support for working with licenses and data access control. An expert team structure is planned to support these tasks, including a KA4 lead, a metadata analyst, developers, architects and authentication and authorization specialists (AAI). The team will be responsible for analyzing and implementing metadata transformation tools, integrating licensing tools into different platforms (Invenio, Clarin/DSpace, ARL) and implementing a data access control system, including handling sensitive data. The activity is scheduled from the beginning to the end of the project, and its successful implementation is crucial to achieve the main objectives of the NRP.
Key Activity 5 (KA5) Development and operation of new NRP services
The development and operation of new NRP services focus on implementing and delivering advanced services and tools for users, data owners and data repository managers to support good practice and fulfill FAIR attributes. This activity includes support for machine data and metadata processing, data management planning, automation of data and metadata collection, integration of computational workflows, and development of a roadmap for advanced NRP/NDI services. An important objective is to enable the direct connection of research instruments for data and metadata collection and to make these data available for computational processing in the national and international research infrastructure. The activity is divided into five sub-activities that focus on supporting FAIRification of data, data management planning, data and metadata collection automation, integration of computational workflows, and coordination of advanced services development. The team of experts is structured to effectively meet the stated objectives and provide the necessary technical guidance and support to all involved for the project's duration.
Key Activity 6 (KA6) Cybersecurity and Support Services
Cybersecurity and Support Services of the NRP focus on ensuring project cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, a pro-user approach to service design and implementation, and user support through the ServiceDesk. The activity is divided into four sub-activities: NRP security and cybersecurity oversight, compliance and ISMS management with care for sensitive data, pro-user approach to NRP service design and implementation management, and user support and ServiceDesk. To ensure these tasks, an expert team has been assembled with staff split between CESNET and Masaryk University to ensure the continuous operation of NRP services and activities. The KA6 manager coordinates the activity, which includes building security telemetry, penetration testing, legal advice, monitoring and compliance, user testing, and user support through a ServiceDesk that will monitor the status of services and respond to requests and incidents. Key Activity 7 (KA7) Training and awareness raising on NRP functionalities and service and respond to requests and incidents.
Key Activity 7 (KA7) Training and awareness raising on NRP functionalities and services
Key Activity 7 aims to optimize the NRP/NDI infrastructure, targeting the data steward, data curator, IT, and other data support staff. The activity includes three main sub-activities: development of guidance materials, building a community of Data Stewards and provision of consultancy and training services. The KA7 team will provide training and consultancy support to ensure that researchers see working with research data as an integral part of their research activities and have the necessary technical and methodological tools. The implementation of KA7 will be overseen by a guarantor who will ensure that outputs are linked to the development of the NRP software over time. The aim is that no researcher should treat the issue of research data as new and burdensome but as an integrated part of their work.
The Target Group of the Project
The primary target group of the project is the research and academic community of the Czech Republic, in particular the staff of universities and research institutes of the CAS who are involved in the processing and management of research data, including practicing researchers and information support staff of research teams with Open Science and FAIR data specialization in university and research libraries. The secondary target group is a staff of applied research, private and other departmental research organizations, and professional staff of museums and other libraries, whose involvement is expected in the more advanced phase of the project. The target group also includes a staff of scientific organizations in data support positions, such as Data Stewards, Data Curators, IT specialists and repository managers, who will be trained and provide consultancy support for effectively using the NRP infrastructure. Postgraduate and partly undergraduate students, with their high demands on research data management, are another key target group whose skills in research data management will contribute to their international competitiveness. Finally, the broader target group is the general professional public, who will be fully involved, especially in the sustainability phase of the project, ensuring a reliable platform for working with research data and access to a wide range of educational and training materials.