Dialogue between research funders and Research Performing Institutions (RPIs) is key, but starting this dialogue is not always easy.
Questions often asked include: How can RPIs get in touch with funders? Are commonly practised Customer Relation Management (CRM) techniques also valid for the maintenance of relations between RPIs and funders? To what extent can funders be defined as customers of RPIs? How can the efforts and strategies of funders and RPIs be harmonised with the LERU Roadmap on Research Data Management (RDM)?
As part of the LEARN Project (Work Package 3, “Policy Development and Alignment”), project partners at Vienna University created a guide: “How to initiate a dialogue with funders and research institutions”. The document outlines techniques commonly used by corporations in their Customer Relationship Departments and is divided into two main sections: how to initiate the dialogue and which objectives should be met.
The strategy for this dialogue comprises, among other things, the following issues:
- exploration of the needs for RDM
- focus on relationships between RDM support, technology and organisational issues
- exploration of the relationships between different stakeholders and their roles
- legal and ethical issues
- proposition of models for data driven approaches to scientific discoveries.
Discussions should also cover different levels of data; not only published data but also the handling of primary data, processed data and negative results. The aim is to achieve a minimum agreement concerning the implementation of the LERU Roadmap on Research Data Management.
To find out more, download the guide.
