Here, you will find a summary of the regulations pertaining to research data management issued by Vilnius University and the most relevant research funders:
Vilnius University
In 2016, Vilnius University adopted the Vilnius University Guidelines for the Management of Research Data.
Key aspects:
- Research data management plans are prepared in accordance with the requirements set out by funding institutions or other relevant sources.
- Research data are managed following the FAIR data principles.
- If the funding institution or another source does not specify otherwise, and ensuring conditions necessary for their reuse, the data are submitted for storage in the information system of the National Open Access Research Data Archive (MIDAS) or another repository that:
- Applies technical and organisational measures to ensure the security, integrity, authenticity, and long-term preservation of published research data;
- Provides access to research data under an open license, while complying with applicable legal and ethical restrictions;
- Allows metadata and other necessary information to be attached to research data to enable their reuse.
- The decision regarding the volume and composition of research data to be submitted for storage is made by their author(s), taking into account the nature of the data, as well as legal and ethical factors that apply.
- Research data that, according to the judgement of their author(s), have long-term value for science or society are stored for at least 10 years after the completion of the research.
- Metadata of datasets submitted to a data repository shall remain open and accessible even if the data are destroyed.
- Research data that are made publicly available are assigned open licenses. Their metadata are available under a public domain mark or equivalent conditions.
- Publicly available research data are assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and described with detailed metadata and/or provide additional documentation so that all information necessary for data reuse is accessible.
- An exclusive right to use or disseminate research data cannot be licensed to publishers or their authorised persons.
Also see Using personal data for research purposes.
The position of Vilnius University regarding research data is outlined in the Vilnius University Open Science Policy.
Research Council of Lithuania (until 2025)
Projects resulting from calls announced before 1 January 2025 follow the Council's Guidelines on Open Access to Scientific Publications and Data.
Key aspects:
- Research data management plans are mandatory.
- Upon the end of the project, the data generated in the course of the project must be transferred for storage at the institution and/or to a repository.
- The data must be preserved for a period no shorter than 5 years following the completion of the project.
- Data underlying the scientific publications produced by the project must be made openly accessible at the same time as the publications.
- The data must be linked to the associated publications.
The Guidelines on Open Access to Scientific Publications and Data will be valid until the end of 2028.
Research Council of Lithuania (from 2025 onwards)
Research Council of Lithuania calls announced after 1 January 2025 follow the Description of the Procedure for Open Access to the Results of Research and Experimental Development.
Key aspects:
- Research data must be deposited in a trusted repository and assigned a persistent identifier.
- The metadata of research data must be open, accessible, findable and machine-readable.
- Research data must be managed and shared in line with the FAIR principles.
- Open access to research data shall be implemented in accordance with the principle of “as open as possible, as closed as necessary” (effective from 1 January 2030).
- If a research publication is based on data, the metadata of the data underlying the publication must be open and include a link to the publication (effective from 1 January 2030).
- Research data funded from the national budget must be made available to interested parties, providing equal opportunities, rights and obligations (effective from 1 January 2030).
The Research Council of Lithuania also requires a data management plan, which must be submitted either with the project proposal or when signing the grant agreement.
Horizon 2020 (2014-2020)
In Horizon 2020, specific data management regulations apply only to projects participating in the Open Research Data (ORD) Pilot.
Participants of the ORD Pilot must:
- present and regularly update a data management plan for their project;
- deposit the data in a research data repository and provide access to it under the principle "as open as possible, as closed as necessary";
- provide information about tools and instruments at the disposal of the beneficiaries and necessary for validating the results.
It is recommended that the data deposited in an open-access repository is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International Public License (CC BY) or Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication (CC0).
More information on the Horizon 2020 ORD Pilot research data requirements can be found in the Horizon 2020 Annotated Model Grant Agreement.
Horizon Europe (from 2021 onwards)
Research data management in accordance with Open Science principles is mandatory for all projects. The project team’s competencies and achievements in the field of Open Science are evaluated together with the funding application.
The Grant Agreement obliges the beneficiary to:
- establish and regularly update the project’s data management plan;
- as soon as possible and within the deadlines set out in the data management plan, deposit the data in a trusted repository and ensure open access to the data under the Creative Commons Attribution International Public License (CC BY) or Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication (CC0) following the principle "as open as possible as closed as necessary";
- describe the data with sufficient metadata and provide information about any research output or any other tools and instruments needed to re-use or validate the data;
- to make the metadata of deposited data accessible under a Creative Common Public Domain Dedication (CC0) or equivalent.
It is recommended that deposited data and associated metadata follow the FAIR principles for research data.
It is permitted that the data remain closed if open access to the data would:
- contradict personal data or other security requirements;
- be against the beneficiary’s legitimate interests, including regarding commercial exploitation;
- be contrary to any other constraints or the beneficiary’s obligations under the Grant Agreement.
See the Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide for more information.
Need some advice?
Questions on topics related to research data management can be directed to Dr Gintė Medzvieckaitė from the Scientific Information and Data Division.
Scholarly Communication and Information Centre
Saulėtekio al. 5 (Block B, 4th floor, Room 403)
Phone: +370 5 219 5062
Email:
Contact via MS Teams
The Scientific Information and Data Division also offers training events on topics related to Open Science and research data management. Please contact the Head of Scientific Information and Data Division Gitana Naudužienė if you would like to request a training activity in English (a group of 5 or more attendees is required).