Data management plan (DMP)

Creating a data management plan for a research project will support correct handling of data during and after a project. A data management plan describes how the research project will generate/collect data, how it is to be handled, organized, stored and published. A DMP also describes how data will be retained and archived after the project has ended. A DMP should be established at the beginning of a project and be regularly updated as the project develops.

The research data support (dataoffice@uu.se) can read and give feedback on DMP:s.

The data management plan should be registered in the diary, preferably with the application for the project. Your department can support you with the registration. Remember that a DMP is a public record and also that it is a document that can be shared within a project or with external parties like funders. Therefore avoid to include sensitive or classified information that shouldn´t be disclosed.

A DMP can be written as a basic text-document, but there are also web based tools like DMPonline and Argos that makes a DMP easier to share and update. Projects connected to SciLifeLab can use SciLifeLab Data Centre´s tools for DMP:s.

Requirements from funders

An increasing number of research funders, both national and international, have requirements for data management plans for the projects that they fund. In many cases the funder will provide a template, often building on the guidelines from Science Europe. Some templates focus on the so called FAIR-principles for data management.

Swedish funders

The Swedish Research Council (VR) and the Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions (SUHF) a developed DMP-template that follow the recommendations from Science Europe. The template is available i the web-based tool DMPonline and on VR:s homepage. Those who prefer to use a word-file can use this template.

Projects with funding from the Swedish Research Council (VR) are required to write a DMP. The administrating organisation (Uppsala University) must confirm that a data management plan is in place when the project starts. The DMP should not be sent to VR, but the head of responsible department must verify that a DMP exists before the project is approved in Prisma. For certain targeted calls a DMP is required at the time of application.
More information at the Swedish Research Council.

Formas also has a requirement for a data management plan for projects that receive funding. The DMP should not be sent to Formas, but must be delivered upon request.
More information at Formas

Forte recommends that grant recipients develop a data management plan in accordance with the recommendations of the Swedish Research Council and SUHF. Forte also refers to the government's national vision that all research data generated by publicly funded research should be openly available.
More information at Forte.

Riksbankens Jubileumsfond (RJ) requires a DMP for funded projects and refer to the template from the Swedish Research Council and SUHF.
More information at RJ.

See also:

• Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions (SUHF): recommendation for a DMP (pdf) in Swedish
• Swedish National Data Service (SND): Checklist for a data management plan (pdf)

Funding from the European Union

Horizon Europe

Project applying for grants from Horizon Europe and generate or handle data must include a brief data management plan (DMP) with the application. Funded projects needs to provide a more detailed DMP, at the latest six months after the project has started.

The DMP-template for Horizon Europe focus on the FAIR principles of data and the possibilities of re-using data from the project. The DMP should also describe how other resources like code, methods, protocols, new material, reagents etc. will be managed and potentially made available.

The requirements for DMP:s by Horizon Europe include projects with funding from European Research Council (ERC) and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA).

• DMP-template for Horizon Europe
• DMP-template for Horizon 2020
• DMP-template for European Research Council
• Open Research Data and Data Management Plans. Information for ERC grantees (pdf)

Other funders

Even if a data management plan isn´t required by all funders, it´s common that funders have guidelines for how data should be managed and, if possible, made publicly available. Examples of funders with requirements are Welcome, that expect projects to write an outputs management plan that includes data generated by the project, and US National Science Foundation where grant applications must include a short DMP describing how data will be handled and made available.

The database Sherpa Juliet contains information about policies from funders on publications and data.

If you have questions about data management plans contact the data office.