Update: the deadline for consultation responses has now been extended until 22nd January 2024 to provide further opportunities for community discussion and imput.
The Global Biodata Coalition is seeking feedback and inputs from our communities on two consultation papers. These papers explore how research funders could extend partnerships and work together in new ways to secure and sustain the global biodata resource infrastructure and maximise the long-term value of open research data in the life and biomedical sciences.
Global research funders are introducing policies which require their funded researchers to manage and share research data in a way that maximises the benefit to society. Biodata resources – which serve to preserve, curate and make accessible research data – play a critical role in implementing these policies and underpin the global life science and biomedical research endeavour. At present, however, many critical biodata resources lack secure and stable funding. Meanwhile, the growing volume and complexity of data being generated across the life sciences and the rapid emergence of new data science tools create unprecedented opportunities but also significant challenges.
In this context, the GBC’s Board of Funders convened two expert working groups comprising senior representatives of funding agencies to explore these key challenges. One Working Group focused on how funders could enhance the sustainability of the biodata resource landscape and the other considered how funders could strengthen implementation of open data policies.
Each Working Group has developed a consultation paper setting out a series of options for how research funders could better cooperate and work with the research community to address these complex challenges.
We are now seeking feedback on the ideas set out in these papers from our communities – including funders, biodata infrastructure providers, research data users, and policies and standards bodies. All those with an interest in biodata resource funding and sustainability and open data policies are encouraged to feed back views and ideas via the feedback forms provided. Responses are welcomed from both organisations and individuals.
Your feedback will inform the development of white papers setting out how the GBC will work with our partner funders and biodata resources to sustain global biodata infrastructure and maximise the value of the world’s open research data.
The consultation will run via the GBC’s website until 23:59 GMT on 4 December 2023. You can read the two consultation papers and submit your views from the Working Group pages below: