Realising and Enabling Australia’s Data-Enable Research Future
The pandemic and recent natural disasters have highlighted the importance of rapid access to data to assist with timely decision making, and subsequently the need for coordinated, integrated data infrastructure.
Data for research come from a range of sources: observations, images, sound, measurements, samples, computer programs and recordings. They can also be numerical, descriptive or visual, and can be raw, cleaned, analysed or processed. Data is also coming from a wider source from more powerful and ubiquitous sensors (e.g. environmental sensors and wearable devices) to social media which offers unprecedented observations of societal dynamics. With this, researchers will be able to explore topics never before accessible in ways that can benefit Australia and the world.
More data will enable researchers to make more accurate observations, predictions and understandings of potential unintended consequences leading to more robust research findings, improved innovations and better insights for public policy.
However, we lack the skills, resources, tools and technologies to leverage this opportunity to its full extent, to develop new knowledge and address real world.
This is why the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) partnered with the Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA) and the five Learned Academies to help build a more coherent data policy and uplift our national data capabilities for researchers. Leveraging the deep expertise and experience of Academy Fellows and the ARDC’s data infrastructure expertise this project has delivered a series of environmental scans into actions and investments to realise a vision for Australia’s data-enabled research capabilities. A synthesis report was also developed that draws out common themes and opportunities and needs for multidisciplinary research.
Broadly, the reports highlight three key areas for action:
- further investment in data, as a public good, but especially for research and innovation
- real action is needed to implement the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) and CARE (Collective benefit, Authority to control, Responsibility and Ethics) principles
- there are actions for all stakeholders in leading change and building capability to realise Australia’s data future.
The reports can be found at the following links:
- ACOLA synthesis report
- Environmental scan: Health (by AAHMS)
- Environmental scan: Humanities (by AAH)
- Environmental scan: Science (by AAS)
- Environmental scan: Social Sciences (by ASSA)
- Environmental scan: Technology and Engineering (by ATSE)
The media release on their launch can be found at: https://acola.org/media-release-data-enabled-research-future
We hope that this project supports a deeper national conversation on data infrastructure and transitions into an ongoing national data policy and strategic planning capability.
Project Management
| Dr Lauren Palmer | |
| Ryan Winn |
Project Funding and Support
This project received investment from the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC). The ARDC is supported by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS)
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Acknowledgement of Country
ACOLA acknowledges the Traditional Owners and custodians of the lands on which our company is located and where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.
