Metadata: A Case Study at Western Sydney University: Assessment of Metadata Schema for Active Research Data Management

Western Sydney University has engaged Cloud Services provider Intersect to provide access to Mediaflux on an Intersect research data management platform called Idea . Idea has been designed with the intention of managing research data throughout the full data lifecycle from collection to archiving. WSU-derived research data are currently stored across many different silos and there is consideration of management of data through research data management plans. However, the use of metadata is not consistent. As part of the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) National Data Assets Initiative, the ARDC funded a collaborative multi-university Institutional Underpinnings project to develop a national Institutional Research Data Management Framework (the Framework). Several essential Elements to the Framework were developed, one of which is the Active Research Data Management Element . The intention of this Element is to provide "institutions with guidance to ensure that research practice is efficient and impactful, and that research data is managed according to requirements such as those outlined in The Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research". Our approach at Western Sydney University in implementation of the Active Research Data Management Element of the Framework was to take the turnkey Idea platform, configure using a default metadata schema and engage with researchers in ingesting live research project datasets. This case study evaluates the metadata schema to reflect active research datasets uploaded directly from a data source to the Idea research data repository. The Idea platform provides the ability for researchers to curate, manage, protect and disseminate research data. It will also provide the capacity for handling data from research instrument platforms as increasingly, the University's research infrastructure requires a component that automates metadata creation and storage for aspects of the research cycle.