Formal policy framework and ICT tools for research data management in academic institutions in Ghana

Abstract

Research data is the fuel that propels scientific advancement. To facilitate research data management in Ghanaian institutions, this study, as part of a broader, more comprehensive study, investigates the availability of the relevant legal and policy framework as well as information and communication technology(ies) in academic institutions in Ghana. The study was conducted as a qualitative study in two public and two private universities in Ghana. The study discovered that none of the four universities that were chosen for the study had formal research data management policies that addressed data curation, technical infrastructure control, cooperative collaborations, and human resource competency. Universities in Ghana do not only lack research data management policies, but also the necessary ICT resources to collect, evaluate, describe, protect, access, reuse, and distribute research data. As a result, researchers keep and protect their research data themselves. According to the study, institutions in Ghana should update their research policy to address issues with research data management, such as data collection, storage, preservation, sharing, and reuse.