Rights of use for research data

"Where possible and practicable, researchers conclude documented agreements on usage rights at the earliest possible point in a research project. Documented agreements are especially useful when multiple aca-demic and/or non-academic institutions are involved in a research project or when it is likely that a researcher will move to a different institution and continue using the data he or she generated for his or her own research purposes. In particular, the researcher who collected the data is entitled to use them. During a research project, those entitled to use the data decide whether third parties should have access to them (subject to data protec-tion regulations)." (DFG Code of Conduct, Guideline 10).

Questions about the reuse of research data commonly arise in the course of research, particularly when multiple researchers have contributed to data collection and analysis or when members of a research group leave or move to another institution. Written agreements within the research group can help clarify responsibilities and establish rights to use research data at an early stage. Template agreements, such as those provided by the Technical University of Berlin, can serve as useful guidance.