RoRI and FAIRsFAIR to partner on ‘FAIRware’ initiative

RoRI and FAIRsFAIR to partner on ‘FAIRware’ initiative | Funders across UK, Europe and Canada join forces to develop new open research tools.

The European Commission’s FAIRsFAIR project and the Research on Research Institute (RoRI) will partner on a new initiative to build open source software tools and systems with the potential to transform uptake of the FAIR principles by researchers.  

The FAIRware project brings together global funding agencies, researchers and a community of developers with the aim of increasing adoption of the FAIR principles. It is led by a consortium of five research funders: Wellcome, the Austrian Science Fund, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the National Institute for Health Research (UK), and the Swiss National Science Foundation.

The FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles provide a basis for describing how research data, and other research outputs, should be documented and shared to ensure that they can be discovered, accessed and used effectively. Funders are now incorporating these into their policies on research data management, with an expectation that researchers and institutions share data and related outputs in line with the principles.

FAIRware is one of five flagship projects launched by the Research on Research Institute (RoRI) in June 2020, which look to analyse research systems and experiment with new tools and approaches for the funding of science. RoRI will publish a Request for Proposals on Monday 28 September calling for partners to work with Wellcome’s Data Labs team to design, build and embed FAIRware as an open source community project.

FAIRsFAIR is a European Commission funded taskforce which is delivering an extensive programme to develop and implement global standards for FAIR certification of repositories and the data within them, as a core element of the European Open Science Cloud. Through this collaboration, FAIRsFAIR will play an active role in the FAIRware project and ensure that it builds upon, and aligns with, its existing activities.

Danil Mikhailov, co-founder and associate director of the Research on Research Institute and Head of Wellcome Data Labs said “the partners in FAIRware are thrilled to be working with FAIRsFAIR to advance our shared goal to accelerate adoption of the FAIR principles and support researchers in maximising the value of data and other research outputs.”.

Ingrid Dillo, Coordinator of FAIRsFAIR, said “The collaboration with the RoRI FAIRware project comes at a time when FAIRsFAIR is introducing new tools and software to help researchers and data managers assess the level of FAIRness of datasets and repositories. This strategic partnership will help us test and develop new approaches in light of a concrete, affordable and effective FAIR implementation by the research community.”

Notes for editors:

About FAIRware
FAIRware is an initiative of the Research on Research Institute (RoRI) led by a partnership of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), and the Wellcome Trust.

Through an RFP to be published on Monday 28 September, the FAIRware group will seek partners to work with Wellcome Data Labs and our partners FAIRsFAIR to leverage the use of software and creative systems design to encourage widespread uptake of the FAIR principles among researchers.

Applicants will be encouraged to submit innovative proposals which challenge our thinking on how best to achieve the desired behaviour changes. Proposals will be welcomed from software developers, user researchers, systems theorists and/or those working in adjacent spaces – and applications from teams combining approaches from across these domains will be particularly encouraged. Prospective applicants and other interested parties should direct any queries to Adam Dinsmore, Programme Manager at the Research on Research Institute at a.dinsmore@wellcome.org.

About RoRI
RoRI is an international consortium of research funders, academic institutions and technologists working to champion transformative & translational research on research. By analysing research systems and experimenting with new tools, indicators and evaluation frameworks, we aim to advance more strategic, open, diverse and inclusive research. Visit our website and follow @RoRInstitute on Twitter
www.researchonresearch.org/.

About FAIRsFAIR
FAIRsFAIR – Fostering Fair Data Practices in Europe – aims to supply practical solutions for the use of the FAIR data principles throughout the research data life cycle. Emphasis is on fostering FAIR data culture and the uptake of good practices in making data FAIR. FAIRsFAIR will play a key role in the development of global standards for FAIR certification of repositories and the data within them contributing to those policies and practices that will turn the EOSC programme into a functioning infrastructure.
www.fairsfair.eu/

About the Austrian Science Fund
The Austrian Science Fund (FWF) is Austria’s central funding organisation for basic research as well as arts-based research. Applying international quality benchmarks, the FWF provides funding for outstanding research projects and excellent researchers who work to generate, broaden and deepen scientific and scholarly knowledge.

About the Canadian Institutes of Health Research
At the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) we know that research has the power to change lives. As Canada’s health research investment agency, we collaborate with partners and researchers to support the discoveries and innovations that improve our health and strengthen our health care system.’

About the National Institute for Health Research (UK)
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is the UK’s largest funder of health and care research. The NIHR:

• Funds, supports and delivers high quality research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care
• Engages and involves patients, carers and the public in order to improve the reach, quality and impact of research
• Attracts, trains and supports the best researchers to tackle the complex health and care challenges of the future
• Invests in world-class infrastructure and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services
• Partners with other public funders, charities and industry to maximise the value of research to patients and the economy

The NIHR was established in 2006 to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research, and is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. In addition to its national role, the NIHR supports applied health research for the direct and primary benefit of people in low-and-middle-income countries, using UK aid from the UK government.

About the Swiss National Science Foundation
On behalf of the Swiss government, the SNSF supports basic and use-inspired research in all scientific fields. We select and fund the best research projects in a competition-based selection process. The new knowledge gained through SNSF-funded research provides a sound scientific basis for societal and economic progress.

About Wellcome
Wellcome is a politically and financially independent foundation. We support researchers, we take on big health challenges, we campaign for better science, and we help everyone get involved with science and health research.
www.wellcome.org