Common European Research Information Format Research Articles

Enrichment of Schema.org with cultural heritage context standards for the description and processing of electronic thesis and dissertations

PurposeThis study aims to adjust Thesis-type properties on Schema.org using metadata models and standards (MS) (Bibframe, electronic thesis and dissertations [ETD]-MS, Common European Research Information Format [CERIF] and Dublin Core [DC]) to enrich the Thesis-type properties for better description and processing on the Web.Design/methodology/approachThis study is applied, descriptive analysis in nature and is based on content analysis in terms of method. The research population consisted of elements and attributes of the metadata model and standards (Bibframe, ETD-MS, CERIF and DC) and Thesis-type properties in the Schema.org. The data collection tool was a researcher-made checklist, and the data collection method was structured observation.FindingsThe results show that the 65 Thesis-type properties and the two levels of Thing and CreativeWork as its parents on Schema.org that corresponds to the elements and attributes of related models and standards. In addition, 12 properties are special to the Thesis type for better comprehensive description and processing, and 27 properties are added to the CreativeWork type.Practical implicationsEnrichment and expansion of Thesis-type properties on Schema.org is one of the practical applications of the present study, which have enabled more comprehensive description and processing and increased access points and visibility for ETDs in the environment Web and digital libraries.Originality/valueThis study has offered some new Thesis type properties and CreativeWork levels on Schema.org. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time this issue is investigated.

Mapping and semantic interoperability of the German RCD data model with the Europe-wide accepted CERIF

The provision, processing and distribution of research information are increasingly supported by the use of research information systems (RIS) at higher education institutions. National and international exchange formats or standards can support the validation and use of research information and increase their informative value and comparability through consistent semantics. The formats are very overlapping and represent different approaches to modeling. This paper presents the data model of the Research Core Dataset (RCD) and discusses its impact on data quality in RIS. Subsequently compares it with the Europe-wide accepted Common European Research Information Format (CERIF) standard to support the implementation of the RCD with CERIF compatibility in the RIS and so that institutions integrate their research information from internal and external heterogeneous data sources to ultimately provide valuable information with high levels of data quality. As these are fundamental to decision-making and knowledge generation as well as the presentation of research.

A FAIR archive based on the CERIF model

The Common European Research Information Format (CERIF) has been developed as a flexible model for all kinds of research data. The focus has so-far been primarily on the construction of CRIS systems and inter-system data transfer. In the article we describe how the CERIF model can be used in the construction of an electronic archive. The advantage of basing the archive on CERIF is that an archive compliant to the FAIR guiding principles is easier to archive, in particular in areas concerning issues regarding findability, re-usability, and accessibility. In our example we represent the archive tree by cfProjects and the archived objects by cfResult* entities with their descriptive metadata given in attached CERIF entities. Archival preservation metadata is stored in the Premis format inside attached cfMeasurement entities. An example in which EPrints repository items are transferred to the archive is also presented.

Governance of Research Information and Classifications, Key Assets to Interoperability of CRIS Systems in Inter-organizational Contexts

Research information systems are often described as important tools to enhance open innovation, by directly gathering and unlocking information on scientific and technological research to stakeholders. Current Research Information Systems (CRIS) systems are mostly developed within a single organization with a context-specific vocabulary and generally use the Common European Research Information Format (CERIF) for data storage. Although CERIF allows for almost unlimited possibilities to model research information, it has - like any standard - limitations when it comes down to communication to end-users in terms of semantics. However, if one wants to exchange the information kept within CRIS systems, it is essential to include research information and classification governance as this is key to truly comparable and thus meaningful information. In this paper, we elaborate on research information and classification governance as a prerequisite for establishing true semantic interoperability of CRIS systems in inter-organizational contexts.

A Study on the Provision of National R&D Information in LOD (Linked Open Data) Format

Objectives: To establish a system which provides the NTIS (National Science and Technology Information Service)-owned information in a LOD (Linked Open Data) format for the purpose of opening national R&D information to realize ‘Government 3.0’. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The NTIS ontology has been designed using the CERIF (Common European Research Information Format) ontology which efficiently manages research information and BIBO (Bibliographic Ontology) targeted to describe literature data in a library with the RDF (Resource Description Framework). To decide a scope to provide the NTIS information in LOD format and convert it into triple data, R2RML is used. In addition, Pubby is adopted for an interface between the server and application while a triple store uses OntoBase2.0. Findings: Among a total of 389 national R&D information items provided by the NTIS, those except for personal information, secret and national defense and management items were set to be provided in LOD format. After analyzing 30 tables, the matters to be referred to during modeling were derived. In addition, ontology was designed by deriving item-concept or inter-concept relationships. To convert NTIS information into RDF, R2RML was used and the extracted triple data are stored in a triplestore. Users are able to get access to LOD data, using a SPARQL endpoint. Improvements/Applications: It is able to provide a lot of related information through connection with diverse LODs after opening national R&D information in LOD format. Then, this information would be available as base data in science and technology.

Added value in the context of research information systems

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss added value in the context of current research information systems (CRISs) based on metadata enrichment. Design/methodology/approach – This discussion paper uses literature review as well as analysis of CRISs specifications to discuss added value possibilities. Findings – Added value of the CRISs is in their integration and interoperability with the same and similar information systems. Since metadata plays key roles in interoperability of information systems, therefore focussing on metadata-related issue can add considerable values to CRISs. Two types of metadata can be distinguished in every CRISs including macro- and micro-metadata. In terms of macro-metadata common European research information format (CERIF) by itself is an added value for CRIS because it draws a complete view of the research landscape including entities and their relations. CERIF metadata structure is designed in such a way that supports micro- and macro-metadata. Originality/value – There is a lack of literature on adding value to research information systems especially CRIS and particularly how value can be added in CRISs still is an unanswered question. CRIS developers can use this paper as a road map to choose the most valuable strategy for adding value to their systems.

IRIS: Supporting & Managing the Research Life-cycle

IRIS is a new Current Research Information System (CRIS) developed by Cineca to upgrade and replace two previous solutions that have been used by Italian universities in the last 10 years. At the end of 2015, sixty-three Italian institutions are using IRIS. One of the main components of IRIS is DSpace-CRIS, an open source solution that can also be used as a standalone system, and as such is now installed in seven institutions outside Italy. The many solutions that IRIS provides include support for national research assessment exercises, institutional repositories (IR) and an expert finder. Both IRIS and DSpace-CRIS are compliant with the Common European Research Information Format (CERIF), allowing easy interchange and benchmarking with other CERIF compliant systems. New IRIS functionality includes Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) push / pull interoperability. IRIS has five different modules integrated together through standard protocols and interfaces.

On research information and classification governance in an inter-organizational context: the Flanders Research Information Space

In a knowledge-based economy, a good overview of the scientific and technological portfolio is essential for policy formation and driving knowledge transfer to the industry and the broad public. In order to enhance open innovation, the Flemish public administration has created a Flanders research information portal that integrates information available from its data providers (research institutions, funding organizationsź) using the Common European Research Information Format standard. Although this standard allows for almost unlimited flexibility for modelling the research information, it has limitations when it comes down to communication to end-users, in terms of semantics. However, interoperability of research information is only meaningful when a well-defined semantics is used and hence acts as a leverage for comparability of the information provided on the portal, including its derived services offered to the research community, research-driven organizations and policy makers. This paper describes the implementation of a business semantics tool that governs the meaning of the data concepts and classifications used for research information, in particular research funding, as a means to unambiguously exchange and interpret research data.

Harmonising CERIF and INSPIRE metadata models to support multidisciplinary data sharing

This paper proposes a two-way crosswalk between Common European Research Information Format CERIF and ISO 19115 Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe INSPIRE profile metadata models. Several strategies have been investigated, depending on the quality of semantic mapping, as well as on the characteristics of the CERIF data model. A core of corresponding metadata elements has been identified, as well as a proposal of extensions of the CERIF model to be compliant with the European directive INSPIRE. Moreover, extensions of ISO concepts have also been described to provide contextual research information in the domain of environmental research data. Finally, the crosswalk has been implemented in the GI-cat discovery broker framework. Successful use cases concerning both publication and discovery of CERIF result products using the extended framework demonstrated the possibility for CERIF information to be integrated in ISO-compliant infrastructures and for INSPIRE information to be captured in CERIF.

CERIF – Is the Standard Helping to Improve CRIS?

Governments and organizations are creating Current Research Information Systems (CRIS) to follow the growth of the amount of research data, providing tools to collect, preserve and disseminate that data. At the same time, we are facing the appearance of standards designed to regulate CRIS development. Common European Research Information Format (CERIF) is a standard for managing and exchanging research data. There are several types of CRIS – institutional, regional, national and international. In this work we have just considered the national and international types of CRIS worldwide. Only seven of them were CERIF-compliant. The aim of this study is to conclude if the use of CERIF is increasing the number of features in CRIS and how deep CERIF-compliant CRIS are adopting CERIF. Applying all the criteria considered in our methodology, only ten CRIS were analyzed, four of which are CERIF-compliant. CERIF tends to increase similarities between CRIS, in terms of its features and its data models. However, the need for customization of such systems leads to various implementations of the standard, creating an opposite effect of the one referred before. CRIS non CERIF-compliant have as central focus the researchers. The CERIF takes CRIS to focus also on projects and institutions of the research domain. With this exception, the CERIF doesn’t show an increase of the number of features. We also consider the use of Dublin Core to increase interoperability between CRIS.

Data Intensive Science: Shades of Grey

The vast majority of research output is grey; white (peer reviewed scholarly publications) forms a minor proportion. Historically, grey material was generated and used within an organisation. However, in recent years some research- relevant grey material is being made openly available. Among grey outputs, research datasets are the largest proportion by volume and increasingly these are being made openly available. It is necessary for users of grey material to have some indication of reliability (quality, context, availability) so that they can judge whether the grey material is appropriate to their requirements. Rich metadata provides a mechanism for such evaluation. CERIF (Common European Research Information Format) provides such a rich metadata environment. Furthermore, CERIF allows generation of discovery level metadata (such as DC (Dublin Core), DCAT (Data Catalog Vocabulary), CKAN (Comprehensive Knowledge Archive Network) for simple retrieval or browsing and provides navigation to more detailed and specific metadata about the grey object. CERIF provides a bridge over research datasets and open government data. CERIF thus forms the lowest common level of metadata across grey (and white) objects.

Publication Metadata in CERIF: Inspiration by FRBR

The Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) and its Scholarly Works Application Profile (SWAP) are used to inspire the representation of complex real world situations in the publication part of the Common European Research Information Format (CERIF), the model for Current Research Information Systems (CRIS). CERIF is found to have room for different approaches to representing metadata of scholarly publications, which could hamper the interoperability of CRIS. To lessen that risk, we propose guidelines for representing scholarly publication metadata in CERIF; our design goal is to enhance the utility of CRIS in supporting the functions of scientific communication. The guidelines are formulated using the notions of Scholarly Work, Expression and Manifestation from FRBR/SWAP.

From Open Data to Data-intensive Science through CERIF

OGD (Open Government Data) is provided from government departments for transparency and to stimulate a market in ICT services for industry and citizens. Research datasets from publicly funded research commonly are associated with the open scholarly publications movement. However, the former world commonly is derived from the latter with generalisation and summarisation. There is advantage in a user of OGD being able to ‘drill down’ to the underlying research datasets. OGD encourages cross-domain research because the summarized data from different domains is more easily relatable. Bridging across the two worlds requires rich metadata; CERIF (Common European research Information Format) has proved itself to be ideally suited to this requirement. Utilising the research datasets is data-intensive science, a component of e-Research. Data-intensive science also requires access to an e-infrastructure. Virtualisation of this e-infrastructure optimizes this.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations in CRIS

Electronic theses and dissertations (ETD) represent a significant part of academic publications. They contain valuable information about academic research, in particular on research projects, institutions and experts. This information can be useful for the management of expertise and skills of persons and organisations in the current research information systems (CRIS). The paper provides an overview on projects and initiatives linking ETD and CRIS infrastructures, with empirical insight from existing systems in Slovakia, Iran and France. The paper reviews also the way the Common European Research Information Format (CERIF) integrates the specific information related to ETD (results, links, second level elements, semantics…). The discussion puts the focus on metadata, interoperability and complementary material (data). The findings allow for the framing of some recommendations on the integration of ETD in CRIS.

Research information management: the CERIF approach

In the context of the wide research environment, we introduce the CERIF Common European Research Information Format data model which a has a richer structure than the usual metadata standards used in research information; b separates base entities from link entities thus providing flexibility in expressing role-based temporal relationships; c defines a distinct semantic layer so that relationship roles in link entities and controlled value lists in base entities are separately managed and multiple vocabularies can be used and related to each other; d can generate the common metadata formats used in research information. CERIF is used widely and is an EU recommendation to member states. At the request of the European Commission, CERIF is maintained, developed and promoted by euroCRIS.

Feasibility Study Into the Reporting of Research Information at a National Level Within the UK Higher Education Sector

This article presents the key findings of feasibility and scoping study into the reporting of research information at a national level within the United Kingdom, based on Common European Research Information Format (CERIF). The study was carried out by the Jisc-funded UK Research Information Shared Service (UKRISS) project. The reporting of research information to funders and statutory bodies is a major burden on researchers and institutions. The landscape for research reporting in the UK Higher Education sector is complex and fragmented. There is limited harmonization in reporting requests made on institutions and researchers, resulting in duplication of effort and limiting the potential for reuse of the information. The paper describes the current landscape for research reporting in the United Kingdom. The methodology and findings from a study involving interviews with a cross-section of major stakeholders is described. Recommendations for further work in the area are proposed.

The Potential of Metadata for Linked Open Data and its Value for Users and Publishers

Public and private organizations increasingly release their data to gain benefits such as transparency and economic growth. The use of these open data can be supported and stimulated by providing considerable metadata (data about the data), including discovery, contextual and detailed metadata. In this paper we argue that metadata are key enablers for the effective use of Linked Open Data (LOD). We illustrate the potential of metadata by 1) presenting an overview of advantages and disadvantages of metadata derived from literature, 2) presenting metadata requirements for LOD architectures derived from literature, workshops and a questionnaire, 3) describing a LOD metadata architecture that meets the requirements and 4) showing examples of the application of this architecture in the ENGAGE project. The paper shows that using metadata with the appropriate metadata architecture can yield considerable benefits for LOD publication and use, including improving find ability, accessibility, storing, preservation, analysing, comparing, reproducing, finding inconsistencies, correct interpretation, visualizing, linking data, assessing and ranking the quality of data and avoiding unnecessary duplication of data. The Common European Research Information Format (CERIF) can be used to build the metadata architecture and achieve the advantages.

The Digital Object in Context: Using CERIF With METS

The article examines the potential for using the Common European Research Information Format in conjunction with the Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard to provide contextual information for a digital research output. Both are key standards within their respective communities (the former in research information management, the latter in digital library metadata), but each employs a different approach to information architecture, which renders their combination problematic, The article examines three possible ways to use CERIF and METS in conjunction and suggests possible changes of approach to the METS standard to resolve some of the problems that arise.

CERIF compatible data model based on MARC 21 format

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to observe all data from the Common European Research Information Format (CERIF) data model that can be described using bibliographic standards and move those data to a data model of bibliographic standard.Design/methodology/approachAnalysis of the CERIF data model and the MARC 21 format has shown that some elements of the CERIF data model could be mapped to the MARC 21 bibliographic record. A CERIF compatible data model based on the MARC 21 format is proposed. The data model was created using PowerDesigner CASE tool. The proposed data model is represented using a physical data model in the conceptual notation that is adopted in the literature for representing the CERIF data model.FindingsA CERIF compatible data model based on the MARC 21 format is proposed. The proposed model contains all the data from the CERIF2008 data model. The central part of the proposed model is MARC 21 data model that is used as a replacement for 27 entities of the CERIF data model, including all their attributes as well as part of the attributes in entities related to organisational unit. The mappings between attributes of entities of the CERIF data model and the data model of the MARC 21 format are described.Research limitations/implicationsThe CERIF compatible data model based on the MARC 21 format does not support all restrictions on data types, which are defined by the CERIF data model. This means that such restrictions have to be controlled by software.Practical implicationsThe central part of the proposed CERIF compatible data model is a data model of MARC 21 format. It means that most of the data are modelled according to bibliographic standard, which is very widespread worldwide. This implies that the proposed CERIF model can be easily implemented within the existing library infrastructure. In addition, the proposed model can be used for other purposes, such as the evaluation of scientific research results, generating bibliographies of researchers, and institutions, the citations etc. A research management system based on the proposed model is implemented. Also, this system is verified and tested on data about published results of researchers employed at University of Novi Sad, Serbia.Originality/valueA new data model compatible with the CERIF data model is proposed. The basic idea is to map part of the CERIF data model related to published results of scientific research to some well‐known bibliographic standard. It was shown that this part of the data model could be mapped to the MARC 21 data model. It can be mapped to data models of any other MARC standards in a similar way.

A CERIF‐compatible research management system based on the MARC 21 format

PurposeEntering data about published research results should be implemented as a web application that enables authors to input their own data without the knowledge of the bibliographic standard. The aim of this research is to develop a research management system based on a bibliographic standard and to provide data exchange with other research management systems based on the Common European Research Information Format (CERIF) data model.Design/methodology/approachObject‐oriented methodology was used for information system modelling. The modelling was carried out using the computer‐aided software engineering (CASE) tool that supports the Unified Modelling Language 2.0 (UML 2.0). The implementation was realised using a set of open‐source solutions written in Java.FindingsThe result is a system for managing data about published research results. The main system features are the following: public access via the web; authors input data about their own publications by themselves; data about publications are stored in the MARC 21 format; and the user interface enables authors to input data without the knowledge of the MARC 21 format.Research limitations/implicationsA method of verifying accuracy of entered data has not been considered yet. It is necessary to allow authorised persons to verify the accuracy of the data. After verifying the accuracy the authors cannot change the data.Practical implicationsThis software system has been verified and tested on data about published results of researchers employed at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia. This system can be used for evaluation and reporting on scientific research results, generating bibliographies of researchers, research groups and institutions etc.Originality/valueA part of the research management system for entering data about authors and published results is implemented. Data about publications are stored in a bibliographic format and authors can input data about their own publications without the knowledge of the bibliographic standard. The main feature of the system architecture is mutual independence of the component for interaction with users and the component for persisting and retrieving data from the bibliographic records database.