UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has announced plans to develop a new research data policy framework aimed at maximizing the value of data generated from UKRI-funded research and supporting a culture of open research and innovation.
The framework is being developed in collaboration with research councils, Research England, and Innovate UK. It will update and streamline policies related to research data management and promote the principles of FAIR data—ensuring data is findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable.
The draft policy is expected to be published in spring 2025 for consultation, giving researchers and stakeholders an opportunity to provide feedback. Until the new framework is finalized, researchers applying for UKRI funding and current grant holders are advised to continue following existing policies.
The new framework aims to simplify and harmonize data sharing and management policies across UKRI’s funding programs, aligning with broader goals to:
• Promote open research culture
• Recognize and support diverse skills and talent
• Enable responsible and trusted research and innovation
By integrating policies across research disciplines, the updated framework will encourage good data practices tailored to the specific types of research and data generated.
UKRI’s policy development will build upon its existing common principles and policies as well as the Concordat on Open Research Data, which has supported the UK’s leadership in data sharing.
It also reflects recommendations from the Open Research Data Task Force and recent evaluations by specific councils, such as the Economic and Social Research Council’s (ESRC) review of its research data policy.
The framework will incorporate insights from international initiatives, including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) recommendations on access to data from publicly funded research.
The policy overhaul aligns with UKRI’s broader investment in digital research infrastructure, including:
• The Digital Research Infrastructure Programme
• Membership in the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC)
• Contributions to the development of the UK National Data Library
These initiatives aim to strengthen the digital skills, talent, and infrastructure needed to support advanced research data management.
UKRI is also expanding its focus to include the management of other digital research outputs, such as software and code. As a new organizational member of the Research Software Alliance, UKRI is exploring policies to support the sharing and reuse of research software, further embedding openness and transparency in scientific practices.
The upcoming policy framework represents a significant step toward modernizing research data governance and promoting open science. UKRI’s efforts will ensure the ethical, secure, and accessible sharing of research data, empowering researchers while advancing global collaboration and innovation.
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