Policy for handling research data within the cluster of excellence RESOLV
Preamble
The Cluster of Excellence RESOLV is committed to handling research data in accordance with the principles for the sustainable use of data from publicly funded research adopted by the Alliance of German Science Organizations in 2010, the DFG guidelines for handling research data in general, and the recommendations for chemistry review boards in particular [1]. In the Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, the Research Data Management Taskforce ensures that researchers have access to specific principles and concrete assistance for research data management. This policy specifies the requirements for research data management for projects involving RESOLV and applies in addition to the institution-specific guidelines [2,3,4]. Data management in the Cluster of Excellence RESOLV is carried out in accordance with the principles and guidelines for handling research data of the respective institutions to which RESOLV members belong, further specified by this policy within the framework of their RESOLV-related and RESOLV-funded research. The definition of the German Research Foundation (DFG) [5] is decisive for the scope of the term “research data”. In the interests of responsible handling of research data, ensuring good scientific practice, and promoting scientific knowledge, the following principles are established:
1. Security and accessibility
In accordance with the rules of good scientific practice and the FAIR principles, according to which research data must be findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable, researchers undertake the following obligation: The primary data from cluster-related research must be stored securely, prepared in accordance with the regulations and standards established in the respective field, and the tools and procedures used must be documented and stored together with the research data for the long term. In the context of RESOLV, responsibility for this lies with the persons designated as PI/PS. The authority to make data accessible to third parties extends only to the data for which they are responsible in their own project.
RESOLV supports the implementation of open science and open source publishing practices. This takes place in close cooperation with the institutions participating in the cluster and includes the use of internal and external research data repositories. A specific repository (RESOLVdata) is provided for the storage of cluster-related research data. Research data published in other repositories should at least be indexed there in the form of a metadata publication. The scientific and legal interests of researchers, the protection of personal data, copyright, and the legitimate interests of third parties are guaranteed.
2. Differences between scientific disciplines
When accessing and exchanging research data between disciplines, multidisciplinarity and the associated heterogeneity of the data generated within the framework of RESOLV projects are taken into account. This applies to the storage of research data at different levels of aggregation (such as primary data and derived data), as well as to detailed and easily comprehensible documentation based on metadata and a high degree of flexibility in data storage and access.
3. Scientific recognition
RESOLV recognizes the value to science as a whole that comes from the sustainable use of research data through its provision and exchange between disciplines. RESOLV encourages its researchers to publish research data in RESOLVdata.
4. Support, teaching, and qualification
RESOLV provides researchers in the Cluster of Excellence RESOLV with appropriate training and consulting services for data management. This includes support for accessing research data on both the input and output sides, as well as support services for all levels of data management within the framework of RESOLV projects.
5. Use of standards
To ensure the proper use of research data, researchers are obliged to provide it in a standardized form, to document it, and to store it with metadata. The rules governing the use of research data, its collection and primary analysis, as well as the participation and cooperation of data-generating and data-using researchers within the cluster, are defined in continuously updated supplementary recommendations for action.
6. Development of infrastructures
The research data of the Cluster of Excellence RESOLV is managed by the Research Data Service of TU Dortmund and will be stored long-term in suitable, trustworthy internal (RESOLVdata) and/or external data registries. Storage includes metadata, documentation, and, where applicable, relevant code/software. Sustainable research data management and associated guidelines for RESOLV are ensured by the cross-institutional and cross-disciplinary organizational unit “RDM Taskforce” whose head is appointed by the Executive Board. Consisting of scientific and technical representatives from the four domains represented in the cluster (spectroscopy, synthesis, theory, engineering), the RDM Taskforce maintains close contact with the respective data protection officers, libraries, and IT departments of the participating institutions and per-forms technical, organizational, administrative, and advisory support tasks in connection with the development and maintenance of infrastructures and procedures for managing research data from the Cluster of Excellence RESOLV.
This policy was adopted on 03.03.2026 by the Executive Board of the Cluster of Excellence RESOLV and remains valid, subject to revisions, at least for the duration of the funding period (December 31, 2032).