HKU

Understanding that RDM is valuable in ensuring research integrity, and fulfilling the University's mission for disseminating knowledge, HKU has taken a lead position with regards to RDM in Hong Kong. It is expected that other universities, funders and journals in Hong Kong will soon also require RDM.

  • With the creation of the HKU Policy on the Management of Research Data & Records in 2015, HKU researchers became responsible for properly managing research data, before, during and after their research. This includes, "planning for the ongoing custodianship (at the University or using third-party services) of their data..." HKU is responsible for,
    • providing access to services and facilities for the storage, backup, deposit and retention of research data and records that allow researchers to meet their requirements under this policy and those of the funders of their research;
    • providing researchers with access to training, support and advice in research data and records management; and
    • providing the necessary resources to those operational units charged with the provision of these services, facilities and training.
  • The HKU Policy on Research Integrity approved by the Council in 2013 holds clause 2.4 on Proper Data Handling, which reads, " Research data must be collected in an ethical manner, and there should be clear record on the data collection process.  Data should be kept in a secured and accessible form, preferably in more than one medium and at more than one location, and be documented and archived for a substantial period of time (at least 5 years, and preferably 10 years) to allow for verification and replication by other researchers."

Funders

More and more funders across the world are requiring Data Management Plans (DMP) as conditions of grant. Among other requirements, they ask that these DMPs show proper long term storage and sharing. These DMPs then ensure that research will be properly accomplished, replicable, and that the dataset produced could possibly be re-purposed and re-used by other funded researchers in the future.

Although the HK Research Grants Council (RGC) has not yet made RDM a hard requirement by now, according to the Open Access Plan of the Research Grants Council published in 2021 by the UGC, it is stated that “As far as data management is concerned, DMPs would be a mandatory requirement for applications for the RGC’s research funding schemes.” and the initiative is targeted to be enforced in Phrase II (from February 2024 to October 2026) in RGC’s plan.