Access management
Research is often conducted by teams of researchers, sometimes in collaboration with students. How do you ensure that only authorized members can access, edit, or share (sensitive) data without compromising security or collaboration? Access management enables the controlled sharing of data among researchers, allowing for effective collaboration while still protecting the confidentiality and integrity of the data.
Ensure data integrity and security
Managing access to (personal or sensitive) data in your research is crucial for ensuring its integrity (by preventing unauthorized tampering, deletion, or modification) and security. Without proper access control, your research could face risks such as unauthorized data leaks, accidental deletions, or even legal penalties for non-compliance with privacy regulations.
Best practices
Use secure storage
Use secure storage
To ensure that the data is stored securely, you should use the UG approved IT solutions. These solutions provide extra safeguards against unauthorized access. Certain IT facilities, such as the Y-drive and virtual research workspace, require you to go through a procedure before you can grant access to your collaborators. For the Y-drive, this procedure includes an additional check of credentials to ensure that researchers or students are affiliated with the UG.
Manage access control
Manage access control
IT solutions sometimes provide the option of assigning specific roles (e.g. researcher or data manager) and/or permissions (e.g. read and write or uploading and downloading). Ensure that your collaborators and students only have the necessary permissions for their role in the project, and remove their access to data when it is no longer required (e.g. when someone leaves the research project).
Set responsibilities
Set responsibilities
Responsibilities surrounding access management should be specified. This includes who is responsible for guarding access to the data in the short and the long term, for instance, if the responsible person leaves the project. Always make sure to discuss the confidential nature of the data with everyone involved in the research project, and what to do in case of a data leak.
Set up an access protocol for your research
Especially in large, complex research projects, it is useful to establish a clear access protocol detailing who can access which data, where, under what circumstances, and for what purposes. An access protocol can be a practical addition to your data management plan.
Access protocol template
To assist you in this process, we provide you with a standardized access protocol template designed to help you document and manage data access. Make a copy of the template to get started with managing access to your research project.
Collaborating outside the University of Groningen
Access management is especially important when collaborating or sharing data with researchers or partners from outside the University of Groningen. In addition to a clear access protocol, it is necessary to set up agreements to formalize the terms and conditions of data access, usage, and confidentiality.