National resources: Norway

Introduction

This page provides an overview of the data management resources in Norway. The target audience is the Norwegian scientific community in the life sciences and collaborators. The Data Stewardship Wizard instance from ELIXIR Norway provides an interactive way to navigate these recommendations and resources. You can also find condensed information in the interlinked RDM LookUp from ELIXIR Norway.

The Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research’s “National strategy on access to and sharing of research data” from 2018 is an initiative aimed at fostering open, equitable, and efficient sharing of research data in Norway. For researchers in Norway and their international partners, this strategy lays the groundwork for creating a robust, collaborative research environment where data is shared freely but responsibly. The national strategy underscores Norway’s commitment to scientific advancement and maintaining ethical and legal standards in a data-driven era.

Funder policies on research data

Norges Forskningsråd (Research Council of Norway) is the primary funding body in Norway for research. The research data management policy of RCN requires a Data Management Plan (DMP), preferably also available in the DMP Common Standard as supported by for example by Data Stewardship Wizard after a positive funding decision for each project. A DMP has to be submitted as part of a final report. RCN recommends following the ‘Practical Guide to the International Alignment of Research Data Management’ by Science Europe, the organisation of research funders and performers. In addition to advising policies for open science and open access, RCN provides recommendations on how to make research data available. From 2023 and onwards, a project grant application submitted to RCN is assessed for open science best practices.

Institutional policies on research data

We provide here a non-exhaustive list of research institutions with Data Management Policies in Norway:

• Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
• University of Bergen (UiB)
• University of Oslo (UiO)
• The Arctic University of Norway (UiT)
• University of Stavanger
• University of Agder
• Nord University
• Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences
• VID Specialized University
• Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System, SIOS

Institutional storage guidelines

Most universities in Norway classify data into four categories, depending on access requirements. These categories are based on recommendations from UNIT.

• Open (Green): Information can be available to everyone, without special access rights.
• Restricted (Yellow): Information must have some protections if access by unauthorised persons could harm the institution or collaborators in some way. The information can be available both internally and externally with controlled access rights.
• Confidential (Red): Information must have strict access rights if unauthorised access would cause damage to public interests, individuals, the institution, or collaborators.
• Strictly confidential (Black): Information must have the strictest access rights if unauthorised access could cause significant damage (for example, highly confidential research or confidential addresses).

Details and provided solutions vary according to each institution:

• Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) - login
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
• University of Bergen (UiB)
• University of Oslo (UiO)
• The Arctic University of Norway (UiT)
• VID Specialized University

Institutional guidelines related to personal data

• Guidance for personal research in the healthcare system
• Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) - Privacy in research guidelines, also available in Norwegian
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology - Health research guidelines
• University of Bergen (UiB), also available in Norwegian
• University of Oslo (UiO)
• The Arctic University of Norway (UiT), full guidelines available as pdf
• VID Specialized University

Support services

Helpdesks

The ELIXIR Norway Helpdesk offers bioinformatics and data management support together with documentation and support for using ELIXIR Norway’s life science infrastructures. Researchers in Norway as well as international collaborators—including private companies and governmental research institutions—can contact the Helpdesk to request access to data management services.

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) Norway Helpdesk supplies IT-services and assistance with deposition of biodiversity data to affiliated organizations. If you are not currently part of the GBIF community, you can follow their guidelines to request endorsement. The GBIF network supports four classes of datasets: resources metadata, checklists, occurrences, and sampling-event data.

The ELSI helpdesk for biobanking facilitates compliance with Norway-specific regulations and standards for ethical, legal, and societal issues, as part of Biobank Norway (BBMRI-NO).

Institutional research data teams

• Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet (NTNU)
• University of Bergen (UiB)
• University of Oslo (UiO)
• The Arctic University of Norway (UiT)
• University of Stavanger (UiS)
• University of Agder
• Nord University
• Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences
• VID Specialized University
• Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System, SIOS

Other data management infrastructures

Sikt is a Norwegian governmental agency that provides (sensitive) personal data protection services to research and education institutions in Norway. Sikt offers guidelines, tools for creating data management plans, and assistance with the legal aspects of personal data management.

NRIS, a collaboration between Sigma2 (a subsidiary of Sikt) and four universities, gives technical and administrative support to researchers in Norway on large-scale data storage and high-performance computing.

Communities for research data management support personnel

There are several RDM communities (with subject or local focus) in Norway to enable exchange and discussion:

• Life-Science RDM Group
• RDA Norway
• University of Oslo Data Manager Network
• Bergen Research Data Network
• GIDA-Sápmi -Sámi Research Data Governance, members from Norway, Sweden and Finland
• DataverseNO Network of Expertise
• FAIR Data Forum by Nordic e-Infrastructure Collaboration (NeIC)
• Sensitive Data Forum by NeIC

Data Management Planning

A data management plan (DMP) is currently requested by:

• The research performing institutions
• RCN upon project funding
• International funding programs (e.g. Horizon Europe, European Research Council)

A DMP typically contains information about data handling during a project and after its completion and makes it possible to identify (and budget for) significant issues to be resolved (e.g. storage). While some of the institutions mentioned above require DMPs to follow a certain standard, this does not apply to all local institutions (e.g. UiO does not currently enforce any specific template). There are several tools available for creating a DMP.

ELIXIR Norway provides access to a national instance of the Data Stewardship Wizard (DSW), an internationally developed tool that has been adapted to better suit the needs of Norwegian researchers, PIs, and institutions. Both RCN and BOTT (Bergen, Oslo, Trondheim, Tromsø) university libraries list the DSW as a preferred tool, particularly for life sciences data. DSW provides templates that are compliant with all different funders’ regulations and offers machine-actionable DMP exports. To facilitate the adoption of best-practises, the ELIXIR-NO DSW instance also provides a collection of exemplar DMPs. These DMPs are partially pre-filled with domain-specific recommendations and can be used as a starting point for your own projects.

Life science-specific infrastructures/resources

We have included here both general and topic-specific resources, that help to simplify and streamline data management practices and to protect your research data. These resources can help you increase productivity while ensuring that your research is compliant, transparent, and reproducible.

Norwegian e-Infrastructure for Life Sciences (NeLS) tool assembly

ELIXIR Norway offers the comprehensive NeLS tool assembly for researchers in Norway and their international collaborators. NeLS serves as a unified resource for planning, processing, analysing, and sharing research data throughout your project’s life cycle. You can use the Norwegian instance of the Data Stewardship Wizard to simplify data management planning, including compliance with relevant laws and regulations. NeLS’ multi-tiered storage system, accessible via FEIDE and the ELIXIR Authentication and Authorization infrastructure, provides a secure platform for data storage. Integration with platforms like Galaxy and SEEK gives easy access to versatile data management tools. For more information, visit the Norwegian e-Infrastructure for Life Sciences (NeLS) tool assembly RDMkit page.

Federated European Genome-phenome Archive (EGA) Norway node

Established by ELIXIR Norway and hosted by the University of Oslo, the Norwegian Federated EGA node provides a secure, controlled platform for sharing and archiving sensitive personal data. This service prioritises making sensitive data findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) while fully complying with GDPR and the Norwegian Personal Data Act. You can boost the visibility of your datasets while maintaining control over access permissions with a designated data access committee. Learn more at the Norwegian node of the European genome-phenome archive for sensitive human (genetic) data.

Norwegian tools assembly for sensitive personal data

ELIXIR Norway’s tools assembly for personally identifiable datasets is based on the University of Oslo’s Services for Sensitive Data (TSD). This infrastructure provides resources to help you comply with Norwegian and European regulations regarding sensitive personal data. You can also store, process, and analyse your data in a secure, restricted environment and use a wide range of integrated data management tools. More details are available on the National Norwegian services for sensitive (personal) data tool assembly RDMkit page.

The Norwegian Covid-19 data portal

The Norwegian Covid-19 Data Portal acts as a specialised hub for collecting, storing, and analysing Covid-19 related research data. You can access research data, tools, and workflows with the assurance of data security and privacy in compliance with national and EU data protection regulations.

Marine metagenomics portal tool assembly

The Norwegian marine metagenomics portal tool assembly offers comprehensive resources for researchers and students. While the data storage tools through NeLS are primarily for users in Norway, the data analysis tools and repositories are globally accessible. The Marine Metagenomics Portal (MMP) is a rich collection of high-quality, curated microbial genomics and metagenomics resources. The toolkit is described in detail on the Marine metagenomics Portal tool assembly RDMkit page.

Ethical committees and general authorities

We provide here a list of ethics committees and guidelines, relevant to life sciences data, that are responsible for national regulations in Norway:

Data privacy

• Norwegian Data Protection Authority

Health research

• Regional Ethic committees (for health research)
• Medical devices, medicines, dietary supplements,natural substances or other substances: Norwegian Medicine Agency

General Research Ethics Committees

• Norwegian National Research Ethics Committees

Relevant ethical guidelines

• General guidelines for research ethics
• Guidelines for Research Ethics in Science and Technology
• Guidelines for research ethical and scientifically assessment of qualitative research projects
• Guidelines for Internet Research Ethics
• Guidelines for the use of genetic studies of humans
• Payment to participants in medical or health research
• Guidelines for the inclusion of women
• Ethical guidelines for clinical trial of drugs
• Guidelines for the inclusion of adults with impaired or absent capacity to consent
• Guidelines for research ethical and scientifically assessment of qualitative research projects

Through the Research Ethics Committees, the following recommendations were made binding in Norway and it is therefore advised to take them into consideration for data ethics:

• The Vancouver Recommendations
• Declaration of Helsinki
• The Oviedo Convention

Laws and regulations relevant to life sciences research data

These are some of the laws relevant for research data management in Norway. You should refer to the relevant laws and ethical guidelines in your DMP (e.g. in Norway’s instance of the Data Stewardship Wizard (DSW)). Some of the legal information is only accessible after login with Feide.

Data privacy

• Personal Data Act
• Regulations on the processing of personal data Forskrift om behandling av personopplysninger
• Transitional rules on the processing of personal data Overgangsregler om behandling av personopplysninger
• The Norwegian Data Protection Agency: Journalistic, academic, artistic and literary purposes
• The Norwegian Data Protection Agency: Code of Conduct on Information Security and Internal Control

Health research data

• Health Research Act
• Regulations on the organization of medical and health research
• Comments to health research legislative work by the Norwegian government
• Health Register Act
• Regulations on population-based health surveys
• Health Personnel Act
• Patient and User Rights Act
• Medicines Act
• Regulations on clinical trials of medical products for human use
• Biotechnology Act (on the medical use of biotechnology)
• e-helse Direktoratet: “Normen”: Norms for health research data

Other laws of potential relevance to life sciences research data

• Archive Act
• Research Ethics Act
• Patent Act
• Copyright Act
• Act on Universities and Colleges Act
• National Security Act
• Genetic Engineering Act
• Biodiversity Act
• Regulations on the protection of traditional knowledge related to genetic material
• Norwegian Environment Agency: Guidelines on sensitive species data

Tools and resources

Tailored to users in Norway

Developed and/or deployed by institutions and organisations in Norway.

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Norway contributes to

Institutions and organisations in Norway are actively involved in the development of the following tools and resources.

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Related pages

More information

Training

Contributors