Prof. Linda O'Brien1, Lee Harris, Clare Nulley-Valdes, Natasha Simons
1National PID Strategy Advisory Group, Australia
Biography:
Linda O’Brien is a highly experienced senior executive, Board director and consultant who has successfully delivered operational, transformational and strategic initiatives within the academic and community sectors. She provided strategic consulting to the ARDC in the development of the National Persistent Identifier Strategy, having been previous Chair of the ORCID Board. Her passion is to unlock the power of data to create public value, in research and education and across government and the community sectors, driving innovation, productivity improvements and improved policy outcomes.
Lee Harris has over 20 years of experience in the Australian Public Service with including over 14 years in research programs and policy including NCRIS. Key achievements include the 2015 Research Infrastructure Review, 2016 NRI Roadmap and the 2018 and 2020 Research Infrastructure Investment Plans. Joining the ARC in 2020, he worked on the ERA EI Review and preparations for ERA 2023. Since their discontinuation, his work has focussed on the development of a new approach to national research evaluation, improving the ARCs approach to Open Access and the use of Persistent Identifiers to inform insights into the Australian research sector.
Abstract:
Research evaluation at the National and program level is increasingly looking for ways to increase the quality and availability of data about the research ecosystem. Persistent Identifiers (PIDs) are powerful tools to link research elements and accelerate Australian research quality, efficiency and impact. However, for PIDs to achieve their potential there must be collective buy in and action from the research sector. The National PID Strategy and Implementation Road Map has provided a clear narrative that highlights the benefits of PIDs to multiple stakeholders both within government and the university sector.
The availability and quality of data about research elements is critical for funding institutions to evaluate research outcomes and demonstrate return on investment. Current practices in Australian research mean that data is often limited, may not be accessible, and may be of a low quality or missing key information. As policy makers, funders can drive change in the research sector by establishing funding requirements that influence institutions and individuals. The National PID Strategy has provided opportunities to engage across the sector, providing insights into potential actions and challenges in the research data ecosystem space. It has provided a common language, key priorities, and clear aims to guide policy development and PID use.