Open Research Data (ORD)

In recent years, the SNSF, like many other funding agencies and research institutions worldwide, has recognized the importance of Open Research Data.

Open Research Data refers to data generated as part of research activities and they should be freely accessible to everyone; scientists, organizations, as well as for the general public. The SNSF believes that research data should be shared as openly as possible to promote transparency, collaboration, and innovation in the scientific and academic communities.

When implementing ORD, it is essential to observe best practices such as research protocols, guidelines, and replication protocols.

A data management plan (DMP) is requested for approved grants.

SNSF policy on ORD

The SNSF values research data sharing as a fundamental contribution to the impact, transparency, and reproducibility of scientific research. This means making data available to others, usually through existing public repositories. The SNSF provides guidance and support to researchers on how to share their data in compliance with open access principles.

ORD Strategy

The purpose of the Swiss National ORD Strategy is to define objectives and principles for the Swiss ORD landscape. These objectives are to be by clear terms and conditions regarding organisation, governance, and financing. The Swiss National ORD Strategy provides a framework for the development of practices built around sharing research data in Switzerland, and for governing the services and infrastructures that support researchers and enable ORD practices.

USI participates to swissuniversities’ Call for Projects on Open Research Data in the context of the implementation of the Swiss National Open Research Data Strategy.

To date, the following projects in which USI appears as project responsible or partner were funded (collaborating institutions are indicated in brackets):

• Dr. Igor Sarman (2022): Data stewardship at USI
• Dr. E. Chestnova (2023): Semantic text publishing as open research data (University of Zürich, University of Bern, DaSCH Basel, Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur - Mainz, DE)
• Prof. J. Miecznikowski-Fuenfschilling, Prof. S. Graco and Prof. A. Rocci (2023): Data-sharing skills in corpus-based research on talk-in-interaction (University of Lausanne, University of Basel, University of Neuchâtel)
• Prof. F. Crestani (2023): Open research data for the 7th art
• Prof. J.-P. Villeneuve (2023): Anti-corruption consultations on open research data (University of St. Gallen, University of Lausanne, UNESCO, Open Government Partnership, Open Data Charter)
• Prof. S. González (2023): Reuse and reproducibility of intravital microscopy via open data practices in image-driven immunological research (USI Euler Institute)
• Prof. J.P. Theurillat (2023): Prototyping the harmonization and the integrated mining of prostate cancer RNA sequencing data sets
• Prof. B. Lepori (2023): Research Data Management @ Summer School in Social Science Methods
• Prof. J. Miecznikowski-Fuenfschilling (2024): Moving towards a national FAIR-compliant ecosystem of Federated Infrastructure for Language Data (University of Zürich, CLARIN-CH, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences)
• Prof. K. Lobinger and Dr. A. Picco-Schwendener (2024): Code of conduct for open data practices in visual social research
• Dr. Igor Sarman (2024): ORD Mandate C2.3 - Framework for systematic communication between trainers and data stewards to facilitate professionalization and the exchange of experiences, best practices, needs, and to develop training modules (FORS, ZHAW)
• Dr. E. Chestnova (2025): Re-use standards for editions data with Application Programming Interfaces (University of Zürich, University of Bern)
• Dr. E. Chestnova (2025): Semantic TEI 2: Semantic text publishing as open research data for a broader audience (University of Zürich, University of Bern)
• Prof. K. Lobinger and Dr. A. Picco-Schwendener (2025): Open Data, Shared Standards: Promoting Adeguate Open Data Practices in Visual Social Research
• Dr. A. Picco-Schwendener (2025): ORD practices for Language Data across Disciplines (University of Zürich, ZHAW)

For further information on future swissunviersities’ ORD Calls for Projects please visit the official webpage or contact Igor Sarman.

In 2023, 2024 and 2025 USI promoted three calls for projects aimed at funding initiatives related to the fields of Open Science (OS) and Open Research Data (ORD) in the context of ongoing initiatives aimed to pursue the national strategies dedicated to these topics.

The call invited projects of any kind with the objective to foster the participation of USI in the development of competences and resources that are related to OS and ORD.

Projects were evaluated and approved by the Research Commission after a double external peer review. The funded projects are the following (project coordinators and collaborating institutions are indicated):

• Prof. K. Lobinger and Dr. A. Picco-Schwendener (2023): Open Data strategy for USI Journal SComS (University Library Lugano, University of Zürich, University of Fribourg)
• Prof. J. Miecznikowski-Fünfschilling (2023): Sharing the TIGR corpus of spoken Italian: an ORD case study (University of Basel, University of Neuchâtel, University of Lausanne, DaSCH, LARS, CLARIN-CH)
• Prof. D. Mondini (2023): The churches of Rome in the Middle Ages, 1050-1300. A digital platform for Corpus Cosmatorum II (University of Zurich, Dartmouth College, DaSCH)
• Prof. M. Vatiero (2023): Governing the Commons: Building a Digital Archive of Community Charters from the 13th to the 19th Century in Ticino (LUMSA-IT)
• Prof. J. Miecznikowski-Fünfschilling (2024): Workflows to reuse video data, transcripts and annotations in Interactional Linguistics (CLARIN-CH, University of Zürich, ZHAW, University of Lausanne, University of Basel, LinguisticBits)
• Dr. E. Guidotti (2024): COVID-19 Data Hub
• Prof. V. Limongelli (2024): The database to perform funnel-metadynamics calculations on GPCR systems
• Prof. M. Fadda (2025): Advancing Open Science and Open Research Data practices for qualitative research at USI (eLAb USI, University College London, Southampton University, University of Bristol)
• Prof. N. Fornara and Dr. A. Picco-Schwendener (2025): License Aware Digital Assistant (eLAb USI)
• Dr. A. Lambrechts (2025): Enhancing competencies in Research Data Management and Open Science in Social Sciences: A two-ddition course for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers at Università della Svizzera italiana (FORS, University of Lausanne)
• Prof. E. Lloret-Fritschi (2025): Craftsmanship in transition: A methodology for dry-stone construction
• Prof. D. Mondini (2025): The churches of Rome in the Middle Ages, 1050-1300: A digital platform for Corpus Cosmatorum II (CorpCos II) – second phase (University of Zürich, Dartmouth College USA, Actus Pittsburgh USA, Bibliotheca Hertziana, DaSCH)
• Dr. F. Regazzoni (2025): Open dataset of physical side-channels for AI security research