DataverseNL at Maastricht University: Usage Insight
Open Science at UM
In this blog, Hernández zooms in on how DataverseNL – which has been in use at Maastricht University since 2014 – contributes to the university’s Research Data Management Code of Conduct. He also writes about the increased use of DataverseNL along with the inception of Faculty Data Stewards and, more recently, with the release of the Open Science policy. As of the end of 2023, a total of 450 datasets have been published.
The Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, along with UNU-MERIT, together share more than 70% of all deposits. Both units have set up a comprehensive workflow for the research data lifecycle.
Overall, the number of published datasets in the UM DataverseNL environment has a steady average growth of 54% annually including all faculties. Remarkably, the cumulative total number of downloads is 90,725. The dataset with the most downloads is “Systematic Review of Citation Bias”, published in 2016 with 131 downloads.
Important Features
DataverseNL allows researchers to secure a DOI for datasets. This is also possible if it is a draft deposit; this feature enables dataset reference in publications even during the review process. The UM Data Stewards are responsible for the curation to ensure metadata quality and usage of standard vocabularies. For example, Data Stewards can further recommend using EU Vocabularies, Schema, or others to enhance discoverability.
It is important to note that researchers can deposit restricted datasets, which remain discoverable while being locked and protected. Data Stewards facilitate access requests to these datasets and ensure that data is shared responsibly. Moreover, when Creative Commons licenses are unsuitable, they can help draft tailored terms of use for datasets meeting specific needs such as educational purposes or journalistic use.
For those interested in the reproducibility of data analysis and workflows, the UM community has developed resources to facilitate the integration of DataverseNL with other tools. For example, “Uploading Files to DataverseNL using PyDataverse API” is a guide for utilizing Python Notebooks to upload files to DataverseNL, as well as the Notebook for synchronizing Github and Gitlab repositories with DataverseNL.
As DANS, we are proud to see the wide and intensive use of DataverseNL at Maastricht University and at many other institutions. We are also pleased to see that the importance of open science is increasing every day. Did you know that Data Stewardship is one of the most fast-growing jobs in 2024? We actually wrote an article about it.
About DataverseNL
DataverseNL is a repository for research data that we provide in cooperation with participating research institutes. DANS manages the technical infrastructure, such as technical installation and maintenance, and takes care of the development of new functionalities. The institutions using DataverseNL are responsible for managing and curating the deposited research data.
For our DataverseNL service, we use the Dataverse open source software, developed by Harvard University. There is a global community that contributes to the continuous development of this software.
