Guidelines of national funding bodies

Here is a list of Austrian funding bodies which support open science. Some already have their own open data policies and require data management plans, while others require data management plans in at least some calls. Since most funding bodies compensate the costs associated with data management, you must include a cost calculation in your project application.

Please feel free to contact us already in the application phase. We can help you navigate possible cost factors in your data management.

Austrian funding bodies which support open science

As of 1 January 2019, the FWF requires a data management plan (DMP) for all project applications seeking approval and has provided its own template, opens an external URL in a new window for this purpose. The DMP must include information on how data and their metadata are collected, organised, stored, published, shared, and archived for a specific project. Furthermore, the DMP outlines how the data will be made FAIR. Please see here for the Criteria for Open Research Data, opens an external URL in a new window as defined by the FWF.

More information on DMP requirements in FWF.

 

Currently, the FFG has no policy on open science or open data. However, the FFG's national calls have been pointing out for some time that data management plans are useful tools when dealing with research data management. With the current IKT der Zukunft calls (November 2020), the FFG is now requiring a mandatory DMP for the first time. A first version of the DMP has to be submitted as an annex to the project description in the application.

The FFG has said that open science initiatives will play an even more important role in the future, as open science enables the reproduction of research results, as well as transparency in research methodology. You can find more information here: https://www.ffg.at/Europa/OpenScience, opens an external URL in a new window

In March 2022, the WWTF implemented an Open Science Policy, opens an external URL in a new window. In the policy, the funding body commits to the open science principles and encourages grantees to treat research data according to the FAIR principles. The Open Science Policy is considered a further development of the Open Access Policy, with an increased focus on open data.

Open Access to research data: The policy clearly states that it is the responsibility of funding recipients to apply the principles of "open" and "FAIR" wherever possible. The WWTF explicitly does not require general publication of research data.

Details on the required provision of data are set out in the specifications of the individual calls for proposals. The policy only contains a number of basic requirements, such as the use of trusted repositories for data deposit, the use of persistent identifiers and open licences, and the linking of published research data to the corresponding publications. In turn, publications must describe how other researchers can gain access to the underlying data.

Through its program go!digital, opens an external URL in a new window, which seeks to sustainably improve the framework for data-supported and data-driven research, the ÖAW promotes the development of the humanities. A data management plan is required for this program.

Currently, no other regional or national programs require open data or a mandatory data management plan.