News

Congratulations to Colin Neufeldt, Dan Mirau and Ramses Ilarraza in their successful application for a SSHRC Connect Grant for Research Data Management (RDM) Capacity Building!

This is CUE’s first successful SSHRC Connection Grant, and will assist in the launch of the Alberta Research-Data Management Information Network (ARMIN).

Below there are some details on this award and ARMIN, from the authors.

CUE receives additional funding from the Tri-Agency via the Research Support Fund (RSF). For further information on the RSF, please visit our website.

ARMIN and its purpose

The Tri-Agency Policy of Research Data Management

The Tri-Agency comprises the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and SSHRC. In their Statement of Principles on Digital Data Management, the Tri-Agency outlined the expectations and responsibilities associated with research data being generated under their sponsorship, and establish the framework for requirements related to RDM that institutions must be able to fulfill, in order to retain or obtain eligibility for funding.

The task of addressing RDM is substantial, and will be particularly taxing for smaller universities, colleges and other institutions that operate with limited budgets, staffing and resources required to fulfill the requirements from this new policy. While some resources have emerged, there is still a long way to go for most institutions in Canada. However, the Tri-Agency is seeking to begin implementation of the policy within the next 12 months or so.

CUE is leading small institutions in Alberta through ARMIN

Concordia University of Edmonton (CUE) created ARMIN to assist institutions in Alberta in their quest to maintain eligibility for Tri-Agency funding. Our main focus, due to the intrinsic challenges that the new policy implies, is on smaller universities, colleges and other institutions in Alberta. As a small university, CUE is aware of the budgetary, staffing and technological hurdles associated with the mandate of this policy, and it is therefore taking the lead in developing resources within the Province and working with other post-secondaries to reach an operational level of RDM for each institution.

We have been working with the University of Alberta, a leading institution in the development of RDM resources in Canada, and CUE also has a Memorandum of Understanding with the UofA that provides CUE with invaluable access to these resources. In addition, CUE is a member of the Alliance of Canadian Comprehensive Research Universities (ACCRU), a national network of small universities across Canada who share a common vision.

What is ARMIN?

ARMIN is a novel organization created by Concordia University of Edmonton, aimed at assisting Tri-Agency-eligible small universities and colleges in developing their institutional Research Data Management Plans. We have opted to focus on RDM at the institutional level because while there are existing initiatives to help researchers disseminate their findings and to provide resources for the development of researcher-level data management planning (DMP), there is currently very little support for institutions to develop their own RDM policies and to ensure that their researchers execute RDM plans and comply with RDM policies.

ARMIN can subsequently expand its regional impact across the Prairies. We believe in supporting our peers, under the principles of accountability and in the pursuit of progress and the advancement of knowledge. ARMIN will be a stepping stone towards this end.

How important is the SSHRC Connection Grant for ARMIN?

This SSHRC Connection Grant, along with CUE’s financial commitments, are key to ensuring the launch and long-term success of ARMIN. These funds will be used to facilitate the launch event for ARMIN, a two-day series of conferences and workshops hosted at CUE for Tri-Agency-eligible institutions in Alberta. These funds include the SSHRC Connection Grant ($19,088) and CUE funding ($9,544) which incorporates both in-kind and in-cash support.

When will ARMIN be launched?

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have postponed the launch event for later this year. More details on this event will be released once it has been scheduled.

What will happen to ARMIN after the launch?

ARMIN will transcend its launch event. We have developed terms of reference and a governance structure that will assist in making ARMIN a functional entity within CUE. ARMIN will initially assist institutions within Alberta, but we foresee an expansion into the Prairies. While the launch of ARMIN will be focused on assisting CUE and other institutions to develop appropriate RDM policies, the goals of ARMIN include developing a sustainable model to providing RDM services to CUE and other post-secondary institutions over the long term.

Research at Concordia University of Edmonton is also supported by the Research Support Fund, a Tri-Agency initiative that assists Canadian post-secondary institutions with costs associated with managing research funded by the federal research granting agencies. Concordia University of Edmonton acknowledges the value of this support and appreciates this ongoing research investment.