Research Data Repository terms of use

The Research Data Repository offers a mechanism for Cardiff University researchers to share and preserve their research data.

The Repository, which can be found at research-data.cardiff.ac.uk, aims to make data available in accordance with the FAIR data principles, which state that research data should be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable.

These Terms of Use should be read in conjunction with Cardiff University’s website Terms of Use.

What can be deposited into the Repository

1. Only research data connected with Cardiff University (i.e. authored by current or former researchers, research students or staff) may be deposited into the Repository.
2. Research data may include, but is not limited to: spreadsheets, documents, multimedia and audiovisual materials (including digitised special collections), models, databases and software.
3. The Repository reserves the right not to accept material produced at the University which does not directly relate to research which has taken place at the University.

End user access and use of datasets deposited into the Repository

4. Research data is made available in the Repository on terms agreed with Depositors.
5. End users may use the research data only if they abide by the licence or other terms under which it has been released, e.g. the terms of a specific Creative Commons Licence or Data Transfer Agreement.
6. Unless indicated otherwise, research data made publicly available in the Repository is protected by copyright with all rights reserved. It is the end users responsibility to ensure that their use of any research data complies with copyright law.
7. To ensure licence compliance and good research practice, research data also needs to be properly acknowledged, including citing author/s and full bibliographical details in the suggested form: author/s, publication year, title, DOI/URL of research data in the Repository.

Responsibilities of those depositing research data (“Depositors”)

8. Depositors are responsible for ensuring that they have the authority or permission to do so and that any research data submitted to the Repository were generated in accordance with the University’s Research Integrity and Governance Code of Practice and in accordance with policies of relevant research funders.
9. Depositors must read, understand and agree to the repository’s Terms and Conditions for Data Deposit before a dataset can be submitted for approval.
10. Depositors are responsible for the content of submitted files, including ensuring that if the submission contains material for which the Depositor does not hold copyright, and that exceeds fair dealing permitted by law, the Depositor will have obtained the permission of the copyright owner to grant the University the rights required to make these research data available by the Repository, and that such third party-owned material is clearly identified and acknowledged within the text or content of the submission.
11. Depositors shall ensure that any content uploaded is organised and suitable for open dissemination and reuse, including the use of open or widely available file formats and metadata standards that will facilitate the discovery, interpretation and reusability of the data, and any associated and supporting documentation to enable its interpretation.
12. Depositors are responsible for ensuring that submitted research data has an appropriate metadata description. This metadata will be made publicly available, in line with the FAIR data principles.
13. Depositors are responsible for choosing an appropriate access level for their research data, based on  ethical, commercial, political or national security considerations. The default access level for data in the Repository is ‘Open’. Any access rights and restrictions will reflect the security classification assigned to the data in accordance with the Information Security Framework Information Classification and Handling Policy.
14. Upon deposit, Depositors are offered a choice of licences they may wish to attach to their research data and must be willing and able to grant the University the right and licence to preserve and distribute their research data via the Repository.

Notice and Takedown Policy

15. Please contact us in writing at the contact details at the end of these Terms of Use if you have found material in the Research Data Repository which you believe is unlawful e.g. breaches copyright (either your or that of a third party) or any other law, including but not limited to patent, trademark, confidentiality, data protection, obscenity, defamation or libel. Please include the following information:
    • Your contact details
    • Sufficient information needed to identify the relevant item/s i.e. author, title, DOI and full URL
    • The nature of your complaint, and reason for filing it
    • An assertation that your compliant is made in good faith and is accurate
    • If your complaint or request relates to copyright or related rights, confirmation that you are the rights holder or affected subject, or are authorised to act for the rights owner
16. On receipt of notification the following procedure will then be invoked:
    • We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint or request by email and will make an initial assessment of the complaint or request and pending our investigation may withdraw or disable access to the relevant material;
    • We will contact the Depositor, if relevant (and possible). The Depositor will be notified that the material is subject to complaint or request, and will be encouraged to attend to the complaint or request;
    • The complainant and the Depositor will be encouraged to resolve the issue swiftly and amicably to the satisfaction of both parties with the possibility of the material being reinstated on the Repository unchanged, or with changes, or permanently removed from the site;
    • If the complainant and the Depositor are unable to agree to a workable solution, the material will be withdrawn from the Repository until a resolution is reached.
    • All takedowns will be signalled openly on the Repository by indicating the domain, the reason for takedown and the date of takedown.

General terms

17. To the extent permitted by law, the University exclude all conditions, warranties, representations or other terms which may apply to the Repository or any content on it, whether express or implied. In no event shall the University be liable for damages arising from any use of the research data.
18. The University will not be liable for any loss or damage, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, even if foreseeable, arising under or in connection with use of, or inability to use the Repository, or use of or reliance on any content displayed on the Repository, nor for loss of profits, business or revenue, loss of anticipated savings, loss of business opportunity, goodwill or reputation of any indirect or consequential loss or damage. Nothing in these terms of use excludes or limits the University's liability for death or personal injury arising from the University's negligence, or our fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited by English and Welsh law.
19. Where the Repository contains links to other sites or resources provided by third parties, the University have no control over the content of those sites or resources.
20. These terms of use, their subject matter and formation are governed by English and Welsh law and you and the University agree that the courts of England and Wales will have non-exclusive jurisdiction in case of disputes or claims.
21. These terms of use (together with the documents referred to in it) explain the terms on which you may make use of the Repository, whether as a guest or a registered user. By using the Repository, you confirm that you accept these terms of use and that you agree to comply with them. These terms of use refer to the following additional terms, which also apply to your use of the Site.
    • The Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which any personal data collected from you, or provided by you is processed. By using this Site, you consent to such processing and you warrant that all data provided by you is accurate.
    • The Cookie Policy sets out information about the cookies on this Site.