“To ensure that scholars can genuinely make a reasoned selection among the many tools that are currently available, we developed a central catalogue which lists and characterises the most relevant data management services”.

“The catalogue currently provides information about, amongst many other aspects, the organisations behind these services, the main academic disciplines which are targeted and the accepted file formats and metadata formats. The various aspects of these facilities have been classified using terminology provided by conceptual models developed by the UKDA, ANDS and the DCC. Using Leiden University’s policy guidelines as criteria, the overall suitability of each service has also been evaluated.

“The catalogue of data management services also aims to bolster the implementation of an adequate technical infrastructure, as the qualitative evaluations of the services enable policy-makers and developers to quickly establish gaps or other shortcomings within existing facilities”.