The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) has introduced two new policies to assist researchers in aligning with updated federal guidelines on data management and sharing. These policies are designed to address changes implemented by federal research sponsors and other funding bodies.

The first policy, titled "UIC Research Data Ownership and Stewardship Policy," defines the university's role in capturing, preserving, and sharing research data. It also outlines the responsibilities of UIC faculty, students, and staff as custodians of their research data.

The second policy, "Access to Sensitive UIC Sponsored Research Data," provides a framework for researchers dealing with sensitive data. It includes procedures for handling external requests for data sharing. An interdisciplinary campus group will review these requests to ensure compliance with expected sharing requirements or address any additional concerns.

As of October 1, 2024, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has mandated that researchers include data management and sharing information in their annual Research Performance Progress Report. Those who received funding after the implementation of the 2023 NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy must now provide dataset identifiers for shared data. The new UIC guidelines are intended to help researchers update their data-sharing plans accordingly.

For further inquiries or assistance with writing or updating data plans, researchers are encouraged to contact Abigail Goben and her team at dmspsupport@uic.edu. Additional resources related to these policies can be accessed through the Office of Research Data Initiatives and Information website.