The cornerstones of empirical research include high-quality research data as well as documenting and utilizing data, and making the data available. When it comes to scientific progress and advancements, the European Union believes the principles of open science, managing research data sustainably, and sharing research data to support future scientific research is key.

A study, opens an external URL in a new window commissioned by the Executive Agency of the European Research Council (ERCEA) investigated the required infrastructures between 2023 and 2024. Of the 241 European repositories - including publication and data repositories - only three met the strict minimum requirements for Open Science as outlined by Horizon Europe: AUSSDA - the Austrian Social Science Data Archive - and the French archive HAL (Hyper Article en Ligne) - exceeded the requirements.

As a result, both repositories have been designated with a special classification as “exemplary” repositories (“exemplary readiness level”), a particularly pleasing distinction for the JKU as the JKU is one of the three original AUSSDA founding members.

Multiple Awards and Honors
Dr. Dimitri Prandner (Department of Empirical Social Research) remarked: “I’ve been in charge of the JKU office since AUSSDA launched in late 2017. As a member of our national steering committee, I believe the award recognizes the quality of our work as an Austrian research infrastructure. Researchers in Austria and in the field of business, social sciences, and economic in Austria - and at the JKU - can access one of Europe's best research infrastructures in terms of managing research data, especially when it comes to open access.”

He hopes these results - and continued success as a research data infrastructure - will continue raising AUSSDA's visibility. The JKU researcher added: “This is part of a continuing string of accomplishments. In 2020 and in 2023, AUSSDA was awarded the Core Trust Seal as a trustworthy data archive; in 2022, as an Austrian representative of the EMM Survey Registry (a platform that provides information on over 1,800 studies on minorities and migrants in Europe), I was awarded one of France's first Open Science State Awards, opens an external URL in a new window as part of an international group of researchers."

Click here, opens an external URL in a new window to learn more about AUSSDA.