Quality assurance within the RDR is based on an integrated approach. FAIR principles, robust technical infrastructure, and alignment with institutional RDM practices work together to ensure high quality archiving and publishing. In the following sections, these different aspects of quality assurance are explained in more detail, together showing how the RDR maintains a reliable and transparent environment for research data.
RDM Policy alignment
The RDR is developed by Radboud University and adheres to the university's Research Data Management (RDM) Policy. This ensures that repository practices are fully aligned with the university’s RDM standards.
Specifically, article 3.2 through 3.5 are operationalised directly in the repository’s workflows and review processes.
“Research data that are collected and processed while research is being carried out should be stored at a facility that is adequate in terms of availability (the data may not inadvertently be lost), integrity (the data may not inadvertently be modified) and confidentiality (the data may not inadvertently be made available to unauthorised persons).”
“Research data should be archived as open as possible, as closed as necessary. The starting point is that research data should be made publicly available. The only reasons for deviating from this starting point include those that are necessary due to privacy, knowledge security, or other serious grounds. In their RDM policies, research institutes should specify the conditions for open or closed archiving of research data, if relevant.”
“Research data that pertain to scientific publications should meet both the findability and accessibility requirements. In the case of scientific publications that are based on research data, of which one or more Radboud University researchers are authors, it should be evident how the corresponding data can be found and the access management should be well-organised. These requirements should be met within as short a reasonable time as possible once the data collection has been completed, and no later than the moment that the first scientific publication that is based on the research data is available.”
“The minimum retention period for research data that is required for checking or verifying scientific publications is ten years from the time that the scientific publication is available.”
FAIR
The RDR supports the FAIR principles: Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. The repository supports researchers in producing FAIR research outputs, and its technical design, metadata structure, and publication workflows all contribute to making data FAIR.
The RDR enhances the findability of research data by assigning a persistent identifier (DOI) to every collection, both publicly shared Data Sharing Collections and internally archived Data Acquisition and Research Documentation Collections. The repository also supports versioning under a single DOI, ensuring that different collection iterations remain traceable.
Rich metadata fields based on Dublin Core, DataCite, and schema.org standards allow researchers to describe their collections clearly and link them to related outputs such as publications or datasets. Some metadata fields are obligatory. This ensures that important collection descriptors (e.g. title, authors, preservation time, keywords, target audience, and DUA) are always provided.
Metadata are automatically exported to RIS, Radboud University’s Current Research Information System, making collections discoverable through the Radboud Repository and the Netherlands Research Portal. The metadata are additionally sent to DataCite.
By carefully completing metadata fields and providing clear documentation, researchers further increase the findability and long‑term visibility of their collections.
The RDR provides flexible access management for both data and metadata. Researchers can assign roles (collection manager, contributor, or viewer) to collaborators, ensuring that each user has the appropriate level of permissions.
For published Data Sharing Collections, the repository offers three access levels, making it possible that data is shared as openly as possible while still respecting sensitivity and privacy requirements. Appropriate licences and Data Use Agreements are available to support a responsible access strategy.
Through clear documentation and structured access settings, researchers ensure that their data are accessible in a controlled and transparent manner.
Interoperability within the RDR is supported by widely used metadata standards, including Dublin Core, DataCite, and schema.org. These standards ensure that collections can be understood, linked, and processed across different platforms, research domains, and systems.
By referencing related resources, such as publications, codes, or external datasets, researchers enable the integration of their collections into broader research workflows.
The RDR supports reusability by enabling researchers to accompany their collections with extensive documentation describing context, scope, content, and structure. Clear, comprehensive documentation allows others to interpret, replicate, or build upon the data.
A wide range of licences and Data Use Agreements is available to match the nature of the collection and the intended conditions for reuse, ensuring that the collection content can be shared responsibly and unambiguously.
Through careful metadata completion, structured documentation, and expert guidance from RDM specialists, the RDR helps researchers maximise the reusability and scientific impact of their collections.
The RDR also includes a dedicated FAIR Review process that evaluates Data Sharing Collections across all four FAIR dimensions before publication. During the FAIR review, an RDM expert of the university library's Digital Competence Centre helps researchers make their Data Sharing Collection (even more) FAIR. They advise on topics such as documentation, accessibility, sustainability, and personal data.
The purpose of the FAIR review is to support researchers in improving the clarity, completeness, and transparency of their collection so that it can be responsibly reused by others. The FAIR review helps identify missing or unclear metadata, encourages the addition of documentation, and ensures that the chosen licences or access levels align with the nature and sensitivity of the data.
Technical and procedural quality assurance
Technical quality assurance in the RDR ensures that data remain stable, traceable, authentic, and secure throughout their lifecycle. The repository combines a robust technical infrastructure with policies for versioning, access management, logging, and preservation. These processes ensure that data are protected, verifiable, and reliably accessible now and in the future.
Versioning
The RDR uses explicit version numbers, assuring that the most recent version is clearly identified. All versions of the collection are available under the same persistent identifier (DOI), which resolves to the latest version. The access level, licence, or Data Use Agreement of a published collection can be updated with a new version only upon approval from Radboud University's Digital Competence Centre.
Retraction and removal
In accordance with institutional and legal requirements, the RDR provides controlled procedures for retracting or removing collections. These processes ensure that data are never silently altered or deleted, preserving the integrity and auditability of the scientific record. When a published or archived collection is removed or retracted, its metadata are retained indefinitely, and the DOI will continue to resolve to a so-called “tombstone” page that contains a message stating the reason for retraction or removal and -if applicable- refers to the collection's successor.
Logging
All significant actions within the RDR environment are logged, including uploads, edits, reviews, and access events. Logging contributes to accountability, security, and traceability, and supports compliance with audit requirements. Each event that is logged contains information about 1) the user that initiated the interaction, 2) the timestamp, 3) the context or action (e.g. open, create, delete, update), and 4) the target object (e.g. data file, metadata attribute) of the action. All events are visible to the collection managers and contributors in the history tab on the web-based portal.
Data integrity
For all files in the RDR, a SHA256 checksum is calculated and stored as attribute. Each file is replicated to a second, off-site location and the success of the replication is confirmed by comparing the checksum on both sides. If the file is modified by a collection manager or contributor, the checksum is updated, and the data is replicated again. This enables users to check data integrity after data transfer to or from an external system. The storage system for the data files performs regular data integrity checks.
User interface: portal and WebDAV
The RDR offers two interaction points: a user‑friendly web portal for navigation and documentation, and a WebDAV interface. While providing different advantages, both interfaces are designed for clarity, reliability, and long‑term maintainability.
Role-based access management
Role‑based access management governs pre‑publication/archiving and collaboration‑stage access control. Access to collections in these stages is governed by roles assigned per collection. This ensures that only authorised individuals can view, edit, or publish data, and that permissions reflect the structure of research collaborations.
External review
For collections requiring evaluation prior to publication -such as during peer review- the RDR supports anonymous external review. Reviewers gain controlled, temporary access to the collection, without access to metadata that reveals the identities of researchers or without compromising the integrity of the collection.
Support
Support for quality assurance in the RDR is provided by institutional research administrators, the Digital Competence Centre (DCC), and technical support staff. Researchers can receive assistance in FAIR collection creation, RDM compliance, technical issues, and review processes. Each section described above is supported by dedicated expertise that guides researchers throughout the lifecycle of their collection.
Long-term preservation
The RDR has a preservation plan that outlines the repository’s strategy for the long-term preservation of the research data that is archived or published in the RDR. The plan is based on the reference model for an Open Archival Information System, the FAIR guiding principles, and on preservation plans of certified research data repositories. Furthermore, the plan outlines the roles and responsibilities in the context of long-term preservation.