Title: Learning activity 2 (in class and main homework): The case of the NextBox project
Course: Open Licenses for Data, Software and Code Train-the-Trainer Course > Section: Course Materials

Before applying licences to research outputs, you have to balance many different factors to be able to share and publish research output appropriately. In the following case, a researcher asks your advice on how to licence data and code from their project. The case is this:

A researcher from the international project ‘NextBox’ funded by Horizon Europe with both commercial and non-commercial partners approach you to discuss dissemination of data and code from their project. The main finding is a new algorithmic approach to profile employees based on their task completion strategies. There is data and code. The paper with the results is in peer review at a journal. The DMP is filled with broad, vague intentions of sharing everything.

The data comprises 50 transcribed interviews, anonymised survey responses from the public, and partly confidential results from internal design sprints at an industry partner. Some analysis is done by combining existing openly available data, data from three proprietary sources, and internal company data.

The PI wants your advice on how to share and license the research outputs from the project.

What you need to do:

Write a brief note about how you would advise the PI on how to share and license research outputs from the project. Use the ten points, below, as a mitigation strategy to think about the different aspects that need to be considered. Write from your own context and local institutional and national regulations. Address as many points as you feel comfortable with and pose questions about what you need to learn more about:

1. Right to assign a license
2. Funder requirements
3. Journal and repository requirements
4. Ethical concerns
5. Personal data
6. Contractual obligations
7. Reduced novelty of findings
8. Ability to commercialize
9. Copyright infringement
10. Dual use

Please note: You should NOT add your group's answer to the forum during the class.

Instead, this activity will become the MAIN INDIVIDUAL HOMEWORK, due end of day on the 26th of June (7 working days after the pilot). Please add your individual advice to the PI by then.

After you add your individual note (but not before), you will be able to read the advice others have given, comment on their answers, and continue the discussion.

This is a pilot activity to test the suitability of the forum as a place to collect responses from learners. For the pilot your answers do not have to be comprehensive.