RMIS - Building a Research Management Information System

RMIS -Building a Research

Management Information System

at the University of Glamorgan

Leanne Beevers & Neil Williams

Topics…

– Project Overview– Product Map– Outputs Submission & Integration

with IR– System Demo– Questions

The ‘RMIS’ Project: In a nutshell…

• Research Management Information System project

• Spring 2009: RMIS Project begins• Research Office commissioned with

Faculty input• Pro-Vice Chancellor Research

sponsorship

Project Drivers

• Research Excellence Framework (REF)• Need to collect and publicise more information

about research outputs for anticipated use of quantitative indicators

• Improve collation and management of our response

• Differences in research data management and quality across Faculties/Departments

• Current system in need of extension and technology upgrade

Project Aims• Unify data collection and entry processes• Centralise the store of research data• ‘Improved’ research management system, in

summary:– Wider access to internal users– More functionality and better usability– Newer (web based) technologies

• Automate dissemination of research data across several channels

Project Structure

Project BoardPVC Research

Faculty Head of ResearchFaculty Head of Admin

Research Office ManagerAssistant Head Development Services

Assistant Head – Library Services

User GroupResearch Office Manager

Heads of ResearchFaculty Research Admins.

Repository Lead

Project TeamProject Manager

Systems DeveloperResearch Office Leads

Project Support

System Aims• Single system - ‘hub’ for all Research

Management Information– Staff, Outputs, Funding, Students…etc.

• Key Interfaces– Institutional Repository– Research Web Portal & Staff ‘C.V.’ pages– Student Management System– REF data collection system

Product Map

RMIS Institutional RepositoryResearch Outputs

Staff, Centres/Units. Projects, Outputs

REF Database...?

Researchers

Reporting

Funding & Investment Scheme

Applications

Administrators

Staff CVs (people.glam.ac.uk)

Staff Research Profiles

Research Assessment Data

Research Web Portal

Public Users

Public UsersPublic Users

HarvestedOutputs

Progress So Far…

• ‘Person Management’ area – captures staff data (to use as authors)

• ‘Outputs Management’ area – captures publications and repository data

• Current focus: automating population of repository

RMIS Metadata Mapping

Research OutputData

Institutional Repository

(open access)

IR: Repository Workflow

Metadata Authorisation

Research Output Data Collection and the Integration with the

Institutional Repository

Our Approach...

Data Collection Process

Outputs Data...

• Data Captured• 8 different output types• Data fields based on previous RAE requirements• Making use of the default repository schema

• dublin_core

• Content files • Upload files of different file types (.pdf, .doc etc)• Configured up to 10 uploads per output

Captured Fields

1) Common meta data fields• Titles (s)• Author (s)• Identifier (s)• Keyword (s)• Abstract

2) Fields specific to an output type. E.g. Journal Article• Journal Title• Issue Number• Part Number

Integration Aims

• Transfer the captured outputs to DSpace

• Allow outputs to be checked in a predefined workflow

• Make the output publicly available

Getting the captured data into DSpace...• DSpace Batch Import

• “The batch import system for DSpace is a simple but primitive method for importing multiple items into a DSpace repository.” Scott Phillips - http://scott.phillips.name/2009/05/howto-dspace-batch-ingest/

• Using this built in functionality ensures that the backend DSpace processes are taken care of

• Reliant on folder structure...

Generating the folder structure• A folder is created for each output. E.g. item1

• Each folder consists of:• Physical files• Dublin_core.xml• contents

Scott Phillips - http://scott.phillips.name/2009/05/howto-dspace-batch-ingest/

Generation of dublin_core.xml• Output has all information required• From this we can create the dublin_core.xml file, using

the following format:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><dublin_core>

<dcvalue element="contributor" qualifier="author“>Williams, Neil</dcvalue><dcvalue element="subject" qualifier="none">Repositories</dcvalue><dcvalue element="title" qualifier="none">

How to feel nervous in front of 30 people</dcvalue>

</dublin_core>Scott Phillips - http://scott.phillips.name/2009/05/howto-dspace-batch-ingest/

Executing the import procedure...

• We need some software to execute the DSpace procedure

• Provides us with control over the whole process• Execution simplicity• Scheduling• Success / Error Messages

Our Next Steps...

• Status reporting

• Direct link to DSpace item from RMIS– The DSpace item ID is returned from a successful import– This can then be used to get whatever information we desire

from the backend

• Updates and Deletions...• Think about retrieving publication data from external

source (reference management software)– Fill in core details with information retrieved from identifier– Automatic generation of citation

System Demo

Any Questions?