NERC Science Information Strategy

The NERC Science Information Strategy (SIS) has been created to provide the framework for NERC to work more closely and effectively with its scientific communities, both internal and external, in delivering data and information management services to support its five year science strategy, the Next Generation Science for Planet Earth.

Science Information Strategy summary (53KB)

Science Information Strategy full version (728KB)

SIS vision

NERC SIS: Integrated data for Earth system science

The vision for the NERC SIS is to provide a world class service to deliver integrated data for earth system science.

We will achieve this by delivering data and information to our communities and maximising the exploitation of our data holdings by:

Providing simple and coordinated access to NERC's data and information assets.
Ensuring the data we hold are open and accessible to the whole community and that the conditions of use are clear and transparent.
Identifying and managing all data of long term significance.
Implementing for all stakeholders common policies, process and guidance for all stages of the data management lifecycle.
Using common standards to enable integrated access to all data held within NERC's data centres and the promotion of reuse and repurposing.

SIS benefits for science

The benefits of the SIS implementation for science include the:

Increased capability to conduct multi-disciplinary, integrated science.
Ability to conduct science more easily and productively.
Opening-up of new areas of science: addressing questions not even thought of before.
Appreciation of data as a long-lasting, tangible and citable product of science projects: data seen by scientists as a worthwhile output of their science.
Recognition of data as an asset having significant economic value, providing better justification for the investment in data management and demonstrating better value for money to funders.
Increased competence of data centre staff to inform the science community, policy and decision makers nationally and internationally on best practice, standards development, and the establishment of new projects and initiatives (eg EU Framework projects): enhancing NERC's national and international reputation.

Implementing the strategy

The Science Information Strategy implementation programme is expected to run for four years, beginning April 2010. Implementing the strategy

Managing progress

Implementation of the SIS is being lead by the Strategy Implementation Board (SIB) and the Information Strategy Group (ISG). Progress on the implementation of the strategy is regularly reported to the NERC Executive Board, Science & Information Strategy Board and National Capability Advisory Group. Managing progress

Contacts

For further information please contact:

Mike Brown
Programme Manager
Tel: 01524 595953

Juan Brown
SIB Chair
Tel: 0151 7954896