Rightsholder of research data

As your employer, WUR is entitled to the research data created by WUR employees. This means that WUR has access to and control over the research data that you create. On this page you will find more information on what this means for you and how you can use research data within WUR and share research data with others.

Research data @ WUR

In accordance with the WUR IP Policy & Value Creation (see here, intranet WUR, login required), WUR is entitled to the research data and databases created by any WUR staff member within the scope of their employment, (non-employee) PhD candidates, and WUR-users of WUR research facilities.

  • Research data is valuable for WUR and also for others. If the research data has potential for creating societal value or for commercial utilisation, the WUR
    Guidelines on Value Creation with Software & Data     (intranet WUR, login
    required) provide guidance in how you can achieve these goals.
  • When research data is created with or provided by others, you should discuss with them who will be entitled to the research data. In addition, contractual or subsidy requirements could demand that the research data should be made publicly available and freely accessible to everyone.

What to do when a researcher leaves WUR

Data should remain under guardianship of WUR
(research group; data steward; data librarian). As an acknowledgement of the
scientific effort, the creator of the data is granted access to the data,
provided that the data is properly archived and licensed in a data repository.

Further information and support

  • For more information on the legal aspects of research data ownership, see: the WUR Copyright Information Point, sections owns the research data that I create’ (see here) and ‘What is copyright and what is protected’ (see here).
  • For specific questions about the legal aspects of research data ownership, or for help with creating a Data Sharing Agreement, please contact the legal department (intranet WUR, login required, under 'Who can help me draft a contract?') of your science group.
  • For specific questions on transfer of personal data outside WUR, please contact the privacy officer of your science group.